I Will Wait Forever
by MidnightGirl467
Summary: Katherine will never give up on Stefan and will always love him, but how can she prove her love for him? When Elena leaves Stefan for Damon, will it push Stefan and Katherine closer?
1. Prologue

**New story of mine that I've been working with Stefan and Katherine. This is just a little introduction.**

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><p>No matter how many times I said, no matter how many times I showed him, he wouldn't listen. No matter how many times I tried to prove that I loved him, he just wouldn't listen. All he cared about was his precious Elena and her well being. Elena was practically me and yet he still loved her more than me, still cared for her more than me. Well, that's what he told himself anyway, personally I didn't believe it.<p>

I knew he felt something for me, that his love for me was still somewhere inside him. It maybe buried deep but it was still there. I knew it was there, even if he didn't. Our love had been real, it had been his love for me that had drawn him to Elena in the first place.

Stefan Salvatore loved me and I would make him see that. I didn't care how long I had to wait, I would wait forever just to hear him say 'I love you' one more time and genuinely mean it.

I wasn't going to stop until that moment when Stefan would eventually be mine.

I wanted him to be mine and I would wait forever if I had to.

I would wait forever.

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><p><strong>Hope you liked it, let me know if you would like me to carry on with it..Please review. Any suggestions for stories tweet me flyingfireworks or message me on here, thanks... :) <strong>


	2. These Walls Are Coming Down

**I know you've had to wait a while for this and its a little short but I have a surprise! I'm going to post the second chapter later for you! I've nearly finished it. Thank you all for reading this story! Steferine is the way forward ;) **

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><p>I casually strode into the Salvatore Boarding house, not bothering to knock when I heard shouting coming from within it's walls. Smirking, I realised that it was Stefan and my little doppleganger, the girl who was practically living my life. Intrigued as to what they could be shouting about, I shut the door quietly behind me as I entered, my footsteps hardly making a sound. The shouting had quickly turned to screaming and it was coming form the Kitchen.<p>

"Stefan, he's nothing like you! I love him for him!" My ears pricked up when I heard this, did Elena love Damon now? Finally, now Stefan would come crawling back to me just like I knew he would. Sweet Damon and Elena had always had a connection, Stefan had been an idiot to deny the connection that they shared.

"Elena, please…I..uh.. I didn't mean that, it's my brother he just gets me so…" Stefan trailed off probably unsure of what to say because he didn't want Elena to be mad at him even more so than he already was. I had to admit the girl had a temper, she definitely was a Petrova whether she wanted to admit that or not. Elena was alot like me and she would deny it for as long as she lived. She had both Salvatores reeling and she definitely enjoyed the attention from it but that would also be something she denied. I didn't blame her for loving the attention, I mean who wouldn't mind having both Salvatores there at your beck and call every day?

I peered around the Kitchen door to see Elena crying with fury and Stefan's hands in the air like he was ready to surrender and quit the endless battle that they had been having. Stefan's eyes were red and puffy and I didn't need my Vampire senses to tell me that he had been crying and at the sight something ached inside me and if I had been human I could have sworn that the ache was my heart but I was a Vampire, my heart didn't beat nor did it feel. I switched the humanity inside me off but the ache didn't go away, it remained there, haunting me.

"Damon didn't do anything, okay? This was all me, I fell in love with him all on my own! No compulsion!" Elena spat.

I could hear her heart beating hard in her chest and her hair was tousled from where she had run her hands through it so many times in her state of anger. I smiled, you could practically see the steam coming off her! It was actually a pleasure to see Elena like this, she was feisty and not the boring Saint like human she usually was. It was utterly refreshing. I could hear her mutter words of calm under her breath as her rapid breathing came to a more steadily pace. Thinking the fight was over I turned on my heel to leave. I would come back later when Stefan needed a shoulder to cry on and maybe then he would realise what he felt for me.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop, Katherine." Stefan hissed as he turned to face me.

When Stefan said my name, I smirked and walked into the Kitchen with my casual strut yet the ache was still in my chest and it didn't appear to be leaving anytime soon. Elena's eyes flickered from me to Stefan and just for moment she smiled but it was only for second. I leaned against the doorframe behind Stefan and Elena, this way I had a nice view of Stefan's ass. I giggled and Elena's eyes turned dark and she stormed out of the house, tears of fury still streaming down her face. The door slammed shut behind her causing Stefan to wince from the pain that he had lost her.

"Don't tell me that sweet Elena actually fell for you're charming older brother, who has some serious issues when it comes to love?" I asked him running a finger across his chest.

"Yes." He mumbled.

Stefan went to the fridge and grabbed out a bottle of human blood and immediately I could feel my body react to the bottle for a million reasons. I could feel my fangs growing as the scent crept up my nose and the hunger within my stomach burned ferociously. However, my mind and heart reacted to Stefan drinking the blood, he shouldn't be doing this. I hated Stefan when he was on human blood, he was inhuman and I liked it when Stefan reached into his humanity and acutally felt pure emotions. It was one of the many reasons why I loved him.

"Stefan, don't drink it." I tried to make my voice sound demanding and in control but it sounded like a feeble beg.

"Why not? I don't need to be somebody I'm not anymore. Elena's gone. I can finally embrace who I am." Stefan had a grin on his face that was completely false, he knew that this wasn't him. Stefan wasn't a monster, he was the only Vampire that was so in touch with his feelings. He was the closest a Vampire could be to a human and I loved him for it, it reminded me of when I fell in love with him back in 1864.

Stefan drunk the first bottle and he reached into the fridge for another. Within a matter of seconds he had drunk the second and I could see him becoming the devil with every sip. I couldn't see him drown himself in sorrows like this so I slammed him against the wall, my fangs barred. I threw the bottle in his hand against the wall and all Stefan did was smirk.

"You can't stop me, Katherine."

"Wanna bet?" I asked raising my eyebrows and twisting his arm behind him. If he had been human his arm would have been broken a long time ago. He cried out in agony and I immediately dropped his arm and before I could feel the guilt and let it consume me, I switched it off and to my surprise it worked and the ache slowly went numb in my chest. I wasn't going to allow myself to feel at a time like this, I couldn't.

Stefan rubbed his arm trying to numb the pain, I didn't know why he bothered it was already healing. His dark eyes looked up at me and I could feel the pain and anguish that they held. Stefan looked away from me sharply, his eyes staring down at the ceramic tiled floor. I didn't know what to say or do, the defeated look on his face haunted me and I could feel my humanity fighting it's way to the service. I couldn't do this, I wasn't ready but a little voice in my head said '_Maybe you are.' _I stared back at Stefan and he did look truly pathetic but it only made me want to protect him. I pulled him into my arms and I could feel the barrier that I had been holding up against my humanity fall down. Now that the barrier was down, I knew there was no going back.

"Katherine, what are you doing here?" Stefan asked, still my arms and he wasn't even flinching at my touch.

But before I could even have a chance to say anything, Stefan started crying into my shoulder. I held him tighter to me and he still didn't pull away or flinch. I didn't know what to think or do, was he finally admitting his feelings for me by letting me hold him? Or was he just using me because I looked like Elena? I didn't know and honestly, I didn't want to stay to find out. I wanted to leave and never return because I didn't want to feel like this but I didn't have the strength too. Stefan's presence was pulling me here and keeping me here and as I held him in my arms I couldn't think of anywhere else that was better to be than here.

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><p><strong>So first chapter! I hoped you liked it! I love writing a softer side to Katherine because we all know she has it inside her but we still love her being the bitch that she is ;). Any suggestions for stories PM me or tweet me flyingfireworks . Follow me on twitter for updates too FlyingFireworks ! Remember it you review if feeds my muse :) Love MidnightGirl467 xXx PS sorry for the mistakes. <strong>


	3. Why Don't You Stay?

**Here's the next chapter, sorry I didn't post it yesterday. I had this new TVD story form in my head call You're My Humanity. But anyway here's this chapter with a sweet SK moment and it's longer too! Enjoy. **

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><p>A few hours later and I was back in my apartment and flicking through channels endlessly on my TV. The only thing that entered my thoughts was how Stefan had been so broken earlier yet he had let me put my arms around him and comfort him. I smiled at the memory, it was the closest Stefan had allowed me to be to him ever since I had came back.<p>

There was slight knock at the door and my body tensed as I made my way to the door. Hesitantly, I turned the door handle and my body immediately relaxed when I seen Stefan's Italian features behind the wooden door frame. Stefan's face still held the same expression from earlier but I smiled, he was here. Stefan Salvatore had come to see me.

"What are you doing here, Stefan? Did you finally realise you're undying love for me?" I teased, trying to ease the tension that was between us. Even though I was teasing a part of me still hoped that just maybe he might have realised what I have known all this time, that he loved me.

"No, surprisingly Katherine." He said a smirk slowly forming on his face and I could tell that I was back to the usual snarky self that he was used to. "When will you realise that I don't love you and never will." Stefan said as he closed the distance between us and looking into my eyes, hoping that I would believe the lie that he had told himself for all these years.

"Then why keep a picture of me for a hundred-forty-five years. Stefan?"

He didn't answer, he was stuck and completely motionless. Even he couldn't come up with an excuse to why he had kept that picture from 1864. If he despised me like he said he did, then why keep the picture? You don't keep pictures of people you hate. Stefan shook his head slowly before he turned around and started to walk away from me. I reached out to grab his arm to stop him from leaving but he turned back around to face me, the smirk back on his face. I quickly dropped my arm to my side hoping that he didn't see that my arm had been outstretched, I didn't like being so vulnerable.

"Look, Katherine the only reason I came here was because I had nowhere else to go. I just thought that since you loved me and everything, you might just show me a little sympathy." Stefan let his words hung for a minute and I bit my lip nervously, I wanted to show him sympathy and the love that I felt for him but I was just too scared to feel again.

"But I guess I was wrong." Stefan said, his face inches away from mine and I could swear my 'breathing' had changed to a ragged pace instead of it's usual pace.

I didn't know what had made this sudden change in Stefan, maybe he was playing me? Maybe he was this close because he seen me as Elena? Or just maybe he could see me for who I was and maybe this was him finally admitting his feelings? I didn't know and though it would be nice to find out the answer, I didn't want to ruin this moment with him.

Stefan turned around the smirk still on his lips and still the question played in my head. What the hell was he playing at? He waved his hands in the air dismissively and just as he was about to leave, I sped in front of him and blocked him from leaving. I didn't want him going anywhere and if he had nowhere else to go, how could I deny him a place to stay? If I had any opportunity to show him my humanity and that I loved him, it would be now.

I didn't know how do it though without becoming entirely human like I had earlier with him in the Salvatore Boarding House. I was too scared to switch it on again, I didn't even know how I switched it off last time. I hated feeling like that. I liked being inhuman with no rules and just fun and games for the rest of forever. I just prayed that there could be a balance between the two.

"You can stay here. There's a spare bedroom, next to my room." I whispered, avoiding eye contact with him. I didn't like him seeing me so vulnerable, I liked being the one in charge and the one with the authority.

"Thank you, Katherine." The smirk on his face turned into a smile and I couldn't help but return it. "I know being nice is hard for you."

Playfully, I punched him in the arm and he pretended to be hurt and I couldn't stop the giggle that followed. This was how it was supposed to be me with me and Stefan, laughter, love and though sometimes we'd fight we would always make it through. Me and Stefan were right and I would one day accept it, I knew he would.

"Be careful, Katherine. You're humanity's showing." My smiled faded and this time when I punched him, I intended it too hurt. When he clutched his hand to his side and groaned, I knew that it had hurt him and now I was smiling for a whole new reason. If he didn't make me feel embarrassed and stupid every time I tried to show that I cared then I wouldn't be having this problem with him.

Stefan walked past me before walking into the spare bedroom. Once he was out of sight, I shut the apartment's door behind me. I heard the door shut of the spare bedroom and I couldn't help laugh, any minute now. Stefan groaned and muttered something unintelligible under his breath and I covered my mouth to hide a giggle that escaped my mouth.

"Katherine! This is room is stinking! Not to mention it doesn't even have a duvet, sheets or bloody pillows!" His head peered through the door, a smile still etched upon his angelic features.

"Hey, most guests I have that stay here, stay in my bed which is also open to you if you like." I smirked before jumping on the chair and flicking on the TV. He shook his head and I let the laugh that I had been holding in escape me and to my surprise he laughed with me. The moment was indescribable, it was perfect and flawless. Even though it was only a small thing, I knew that I would carry it with me for the rest of my damned life.

I stopped laughing and so did he. I stared at him for a moment and just memorised everything about his face, every line and every feature. Stefan's eyes were looking back at me in the same way I was looking at him and for a moment, I smiled. His face soon grew serious and he looked away from me.

"Just because we're laughing, doesn't mean we're falling in love all over again." He said it with a smirk but I could hear the seriousness in his words. He slammed the door shut and I could hear him starting to clean the mess up in his room.

Stefan had said we weren't falling in love all over again but I couldn't help but think that we were.

Hours later, Stefan had finally cleaned the room and he had found a complete new matching bed set. When he had came out of the spare bedroom which was now his room, he had been annoyed about much mess had actually been in there. But at the time all I had cared about was hot he looked as a grease monkey.

I glanced out of my bedroom window, I could hear Stefan moving in the room next door and I smiled to myself, he was finally here with me. The moon hung in the night's sky and I remembered the night where I had faked my own death and where I promised Stefan that we would be together again. I still held on to that promise and I always would until we were actually together again.

I shut the curtains and climbed into bed. I listened out for Stefan's breathing but there was nothing to be heard, except for the rustling of papers. I couldn't believe how much of a relationship me and Stefan had built in a day. He and Elena had broke up, I had comforted while he cried and now he was here, living with me because he couldn't bare to go back to the Boarding House to see Damon with Elena.

A quiet knock on the door disturbed my thoughts and I jumped slightly at the sound. Smirking, Stefan entered my room and I never felt so human and somehow exposed in my life. He looked at me with the familiar look in 1864 when I first stepped out of the carriage. Stefan smiled sweetly before the smirk returned and I couldn't help but feel that he was fighting everything between us even more so than he did before.

"Did I scare you?" He chuckled.

"What the hell happened to being all broody and depressed that your brother stole your girl." I asked, dodging the question as I sat up in my bed and let the duvet fall back down around my hips. Truthfully, he was scaring me but not in the way he thought he was. He was scaring me because he was making me feel human and no matter what I did at times, it just wouldn't switch off.

When I had mentioned Damon and Elena, I immediately regretted it. A look of pain of loss and sadness appeared on his face but he cleared it away as quick as he could but he didn't fool me.

"So why are you here?" I whispered, secretly scared of the answer.

"I…um…I was just..ah… wondering if I …" I had never seen him so lost for words before and I actually found it cute and adorable. Stefan Salvatore was making me love him even more and he didn't even know it.

"I'm sorry, Stefan but I don't speak monkey." I giggled and his face turned to a bright crimson, that I didn't think was possible for a Vampire. Stefan shook his head, the annoyance clearly on his face.

"You know what? Never mind." He practically growled the words at me.

As soon as he placed his hand on the door handle, I was stood behind him in a flash. Stefan turned around to face me and I pressed him back against the wall, preventing him from leaving this room.

"I'm sorry… What is it? What do you want to ask me?" I breathed against his skin and all I wanted to do was kiss him and just show him how much I loved him but I knew that would only make him even angrier with me.

"I was going to ask if I could maybe share your bed with you tonight because the spare bedroom smells ..well, disgusting but it's fine. I'll just sleep on the couch instead." His words were quieter than a delicate whisper and I knew that he felt exposed asking me if he could stay here tonight.

Stefan tried to push me away but I stepped back slowly, giving him a little more room. I had to put space between us before I ruined everything that I had accomplished with him today. Stefan stared at me and his eyes burned with a familiar intensity that I knew was currently in mine.

"Stefan, you don't have to sleep downstairs." I reached out to grab his hand gently with mine and Stefan looked down at our hands, confusion written on his face.

"Stay." I could practically hear the begging in my voice but right now, I didn't care. I honestly, wanted him to stay here with me tonight. I was sure nothing would happen between us, he was still too messed up about Elena but I still wanted him to stay and just be with me.

"Stefan, stay with me tonight. You can stay." I pulled our hands towards me as I walked back towards the bed.

Stefan nodded and his brow was furrowed on his head, he didn't know if this was a good idea and neither did I but what could possibly go so wrong? I dropped his hand and climbed into bed. Stefan watched me for a minute before he slowly climbed into the bed too. He turned away from me, so all I could see was his back but I couldn't help but smile.

Stefan was in the same bed as me and that was an accomplishment within its self but even though today had been full of success, it was only the beginning. Stefan was broken about Elena but he loved me, I know he did and I wasn't going to give up. I was never going to give up.

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><p><strong>So what did you think? The next chapter should be up on the weekend, maybe just before. Ideas are welcome and if you have suggestions for stories just let me know. Follow me on twitter my usernames is FlyingFireworks. I know this story isn't my best writing and I'm currently kicking myself for it but I hope you liked it all the same. I'm babbling now so all I'm going to say is please review and thanks for reading! Love MidnightGirl467 xXx<strong>


	4. Vulnerability

**I'm so sorry for not posting for so long! You guys must hate me but I'm back and there's a bit of Steferine in this chapter for you all. I do intend on carrying this story for all the people who asked if I was or not. It's just been busy few weeks thats all. I wrote this today for you all because you have waited long enough. The reason it's not the best is because I have been sick for the last three days, not pleasant. Anyway enough of me rambling, here you go! :)**

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><p>The sun shone through the window opposite my bed and I knew that Stefan was no longer by my side without even opening my eyes. I wrapped my arms around the empty sheets and clung to them, breathing in his scent that still lingered on the pillows, remindind me that last night hadn't been a dream but that Stefan had stayed the night with me due to his own choice. I pulled the sheets closer to me and breathed his scent once more, sharing a moment of weakness with my humanity.<p>

There was no movement downstairs or anywhere in the house, Stefan had gone. As thought processed in my head, something within me pined for him to return for him to come back to me. I missed him and he had only be here with for just one night. I missed his sarcastic comments, the way he teased me, the way he made me laugh, his smile. I missed him and everything about him.

Reluctantly, I got out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. The apartment was quiet just like it always had been before last night, before Stefan knocked on my door but now the apartment was quiet and there was a sense of longing, a sense of something missing and I didn't need anyone to tell me what was missing. Stefan was missing. Stefan was the one thing that apartment longed for, the person that I longed for.

I quickly got dressed and walked around the house aimlessly, looking for any sign that Stefan would come back here tonight, whether he would come back tonight or whether he would ever come back. Maybe last night had scared him off and he had found shelter someplace else. He might even go back to the Boarding House if he was the desperate to get away from me, to hide from his love for me.

It was obvious what I had to do and I didn't care that it would let my humanity show if I did, I just had to talk to him. I had to see him. I picked up my car keys from the kitchen counter and run full speed to my car.

Ten minutes later I was outside the Salvatore Boarding House and my hands were shaking. I stood outside for awhile just staring at the door, debating on whether or not just go back home or stay here. Stefan wouldn't be here anyway, it was pointless. Even if he was here what would I say to him without sounding desperate and needy? No, I couldn't talk to him yet. I would wait till later to see if he came back. Sighing at my impulsiveness I turned back around and headed towards my car.

"Katherine?"

I turned back around to see Elena stood there in the doorway, her hair tied back and Damon's t-shirt hung off her body. Her brown eyes scanned over me before they came back up to face me. She remained motionless by the door, neither of us knowing why she had called my name.

"Why are you here?" She asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Is…um… Stefan here?" I asked, looking at her directly in the eye, trying to be strong and not look scared, scared that Stefan had left without me knowing.

"No, I'm here all alone. Stefan left here yesterday afternoon he hasn't been back since." Elena said folding her arms across her chest.

"Figures." I muttered.

Sighing in defeat I walked back to the car and hoped that maybe Stefan was just hunting and that he would be back later tonight. He wouldn't have left, would he? I shook my head, answering my own question. Stefan would never avoid someone, he would talk to them about their problems and make sure that they would overcome whatever them problems were. Stefan Salvatore wasn't a quitter. He was so different to me when it came to something like that, I would run for the hills to avoid the awkward conversation. It's why after all these years I still loved him because he made me want to be better, he made me feel again.

I could still hear Elena's heartbeat coming from the doorway, she hadn't moved a muscle. I turned back around to face her, she had a knowing smirk on her face that made my stomach curl. Was my humanity really taking over me? Was it obvious to everyone around me that I felt? I shuddered at thought no one could know that I felt everything, my enemies would use it against me so they could finally rip my heart out or drive a stake through my heart.

"What's the smirk for? It suits me better." I smirked back, my eyes cold and hard.

"Really Katherine? You can't hide behind that mask forever, you know."

She knew. It was obvious that I still had my humanity left in me, that it was controlling me. I hated that she knew, my doppelganger knew. She took everything from me and know she knew my greatest weakness. Elena knew what it would take to destroy me.

"Do you want to come inside? No one's home and I'm bored. Plus, you look like you could talk to someone." Elena said a friendly smile on her face that I wondered if she was leading me into a trap, the girl was tough now and fought her own battles. She was a lot like me. Also she was right. I did want someone to talk to about everything but could Elena Gilbert be trusted? After everything I had done to her, I was sure she didn't trust me which made me think that this was likely that this was a trap she was leading me into. Despite the fact that I wanted to run as fast as I could I stayed rooted to the spot. I wanted to talk to someone and she was willing to offer that, so I could give her a chance.

"If this is some plot to kill me, Elena I swear I'll hurt you so much that you will be begging to die." I said before I walked directly into the house.

"Not a trap, Katherine. Just being friendly." She whispered as she shut the door.

We didn't speak once I entered the house, I just followed her. Elena grabbed her jeans on the way into the Kitchen and put them on quickly whilst she made coffee obviously feeling she was underdressed to entertain a guest which she probably was as she was only in Damon's shirt.

"Why are you looking for Stefan?" She said as motioned for me to sit down on of the wooden chairs by the matching dinner table. Reluctantly, I sat down and I dropped my car keys on the table.

"Why are you talking to me Elena?" I asked her, my eyebrows raised in suspicion as I was still waiting for her to pull out a stake from under her shirt.

She handed me a cup of coffee and then sat down opposite me, her legs folded underneath her. Elena sipped her coffee before she uttered a word to me, her eyes never failed to keep eye contact with me and though we had the same eyes, I could see what Stefan had said about Elena being different from me. She was different, she held innocence and purity in her eyes and I had never seen it before in anyone I had ever met.

"Because Katherine there's something different about you since I saw yesterday. Nice eavesdropping by the way." She laughed slightly before carrying on. "Stefan stayed with you last night didn't he? He came to you."

I nodded but she still didn't answer my question.

"That doesn't answer the question, Elena and I would like an answer now." I snapped at her.

"I'm talking you because you looked vulnerable out there, you looked lost and scared. I know what that is like to think you've lost someone you love. You needed to talk to someone, it was written all over your face. I was just trying to be helpful." Elena shrugged and drunk some more of her coffee.

I didn't know what to say because if it had been Elena knocking on my door looking for Damon or someone with a vulnerable look on her face I just would have let her go. I wouldn't have made her coffee and talked to her about her problem, that was just too human even for me. Though I wouldn't have done the same, I was still grateful that she brought me in here.

"Thanks." I whispered to her and I could almost see her eyes widen in disbelief from what I had just said.

"You're welcome. So why are you looking for Stefan?" She asked me obviously feeling the same awkward tension that I was feeling too.

"I..umm.."

"Spit it out, Katherine."

"Stefan came back to mine last night because he felt he had nowhere to go. The spare bedroom in my apartment was apparently filthy, even though he had been cleaning it all night. So, Stefan stayed with me, in my bed."

"Did you have sex?" She asked, grinning madly and wiggling her eyebrows.

"No, Elena." I smiled back and it was genuine. Maybe Elena Gilbert wasn't that bad, maybe she could be fun. Maybe.

"Okay so what happened next?"

"I woke up and he was gone." I shrugged like it meant nothing to me but she knew it was a façade.

"Don't pretend you don't care, Katherine. You know you do, you can't hide behind that mask forever. I did, I pretended that I didn't love Damon for a while but you eventually give into it. You can't hide."

"I know, Elena. I know. That's what scares me because I don't wanna get hurt." My words were barely audible. "Elena never repeat this conversation, okay? I'm already having a problem with letting my love for Stefan show, I can't be your 'friend' too. I don't want to be human."

"I promise. Now drink your coffee before it gets cold." She laughed before pushing my cup of coffee towards me.

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><p>Hours later and I was finally home. Who knew hanging out with my doppelganger was actually pretty fun? Halfway through a conversation Damon had come home and wondered what the hell I was doing there but within a few minutes he was going over to Alaric's house for a guy's night. Elena had asked me to join her, the witch and Caroline to their girly night but I declined. I could only take so much human bonding. It would have to be small steps.<p>

I opened the door to my apartment and immediately smelt food being cooked from the Kitchen. Oh god, please don't tell me they had brought their girly evening to me? I shivered at thought but when I couldn't hear a single a heartbeat I knew it wasn't Elena or her friends. I shut the door and I smelt his scent, Stefan's scent. Was he really here? Why was he cooking?

"Stefan?" I shouted in to the room.

"In here!" Stefan called from the kitchen.

A smile appeared on my lips and I couldn't help but sigh in relief. He hadn't gone, he was here and in my apartment. I threw my car keys onto the nearest table and hung my jacket on the coat hangers by the door. I took my time so I could try and calm myself before I actually saw him.

When I got closer to the kitchen, I heard the radio playing the latest songs in the charts and to my surprise Stefan was singing along! I had to stifle a laugh as I walked in to the kitchen to find him dancing around with a spatula in his hand. He had a towel over his shoulder and one of the biggest smiles I had seen on his face ever since I had come back to Mystic Falls.

"Did I interrupt something?" I asked, my hand over my mouth to keep me from laughing.

Stefan stopped dancing and singing to look at me, a smirk appearing on his face.

"Nope just cooking some food for us. Dancing and singing helped pass the time away."

I nodded, still stifling a laugh.

"Well I think I could definitely see it as a career path for you." I managed to say before I finally burst out laughing.

"Me too." He said before going back to dancing and singing around the kitchen.

I opened the cabinet and went to get a glass of wine before Stefan's arm encircled my waist, forcing me to dance with him. I effortlessly tried to stop him but he kept dancing with me, a smile on his lips.

"Come on, Katherine you used to love to dance with me."

Smirking, I gave into him and danced with him to the radio. The entire time we danced together Stefan didn't take his eyes off me and I swear if I was human I would be blushing but thankfully I wasn't. I placed my arms around his neck and together we swayed to the beat and all I could think about was how much I wanted to kiss him, to take him upstairs and show him how much I loved him.

The song ended and me and Stefan remained looking at each other unsure of what to do next. Unwillingly I untangled my arms around his neck and pulled away from his arm around my waist and I could see the confusion sweep over his face.

"So, what's for a dinner?" I asked a smile on my face.

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><p><strong>Well what did you think? Don't forget to follow me on Twitter, my username is FlyingFireworks. Any suggestions or requests for this story please let me know! I also need to ask you whether you would like this story to have a happy ending with no sequel or a sad ending with a sequel it is up to you. I also have an idea for another Steferine story. :) Please review. Love MidnightGirl467<strong>


	5. The Girl

**Finally the chapter is here. I'm so sorry for the wait, I really am but life just keeps getting in the way. I missed writing this couple. Enjoy!**

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><p>I sat down on the dining table that hadn't been used ever since I had came to Mystic Falls. There had been a trail of dust around the edges of the wood but now the table smelt fresh and clean, a lemony scent hung around it. Stefan had obviously cleaned up before he had started cooking dinner which only made me wonder how long had he planned this for? Was this some sort of date or just a genuine thank you? Even though I wanted to know what Stefan was up to, I couldn't bring myself to ask. Whatever this was between me and Stefan it would stay like this until he admitted his feelings or until I had the courage to ask him but until then I wouldn't dwell on the matter. Well I would try too.<p>

Stefan placed their towel on the kitchen counter before he turned down the radio so that you could still hear the music but it was only a soft sound in the background. Adding the finishing touches to the dinner, Stefan looked back at me probably wondering why I had not made a sarcastic comment during the last five minutes. I smiled encouragingly back at him because I couldn't bring myself to frown at him and with a brief nod at me, he turned back around.

"Dinner is served." Stefan said picking up the two plates and placing one in front of me and the other opposite me.

I waited for Stefan to sit down before I picked up the silver knife and fork that been neatly displayed in front of me and started eating. Stefan's chair scratched against the floorboards and the sound almost made me wince as it was the only sound you could hear in the room. Stefan muttered an apology before we both started eating the dinner that he had cooked for the both of us.

We ate in silence neither of us knowing what to say to each other, what do you say to someone who you had always loved yet said they didn't love you but still slept in your bed last night? The entire situation was bizarre but if I was with Stefan and us spending time together was getting him closer to admitting his feelings for me then any situation would be worth it, if he was mine by the end of it. Stefan peered up at from behind his eyelashes and smiled before returning to his dinner but I couldn't help the smile I returned him. After all these years he still made me feel like the young human girl who I was pretending to be back in 1864.

I didn't look at him for the reminder of the meal because he would only distract from my thoughts and I needed to think. I needed to think things through and one day soon I needed to talk to Stefan about his true feelings but I knew that neither of us were ready for that conversation. Somehow I didn't think I would ever be ready for that conversation. What if he just turned me away again? What if he didn't want to be with me? What if he wanted to be alone and wallow in self pity because Elena no longer loved him? Yet all these possibilities were 'what ifs' they weren't certain and one thing all these years had taught me as vampire would be; true love was never certain. True love was confusing but so real that no one would ever question it, you just went along with it.

"Are you finished?" Stefan asked me picking up his plate and making his way over to the ceramic sink.

"Yeah, thanks. When did you learn to cook?" I asked as he made his way back over to me to pick up my plate. Stefan's smile disappeared and he turned away from me, placing both of our plates into the sink and into the soapy water. The plates were soon masked by the soap and I wondered if it was a metaphor for me and Stefan, didn't something always wash our love away? Something always distracted us from what really mattered and soon we would forget about our love for each other. I sighed sadly to myself, would it always be this way for us?

"Are you okay?" Stefan asked me raising his eyebrows and for the first time in over century, Stefan showed an emotion upon his face that I thought I would never see on his face again, at least not for a while anyway. Stefan Salvatore was actually showing me concern. They way his eyebrows knitted together, the way his forehead creased and the way his eye lit up were all the evidence I needed.

"When did you learn to cook?" I repeated because honestly I wanted to know.

Stefan never cooked back in 1864 it was because he didn't need to, he had maids to do all the household tasks for him. So when did he learn to cook? Somehow I didn't believe it was back in his Ripper days because I couldn't see him learning how to cook wearing a pink coloured apron whilst he ripped people apart, draining the blood from their bodies. The thought was completely absurd and it even made me giggle for a second before my train of thought carried on full speed ahead down the railway. The only other time when Stefan was tame was when Lexi made him control his urges for human blood but still I couldn't understand why that would make Stefan upset, maybe it was because he missed Lexi and didn't want to talk about it. My train of thought came to a screeching halt as I realised why Stefan had learned how to cook, why he was upset that I had brought it up. It could only be one thing; Elena Gilbert. Stefan had learned to cook for her, for my precious little doppelganger. Venomous fury run through my bloodstream but it was because of one simple emotion; jealousy. Would I forever spend the rest of eternity jealous of Elena? Would she always have a hold on Stefan?

"Don't do that, Katherine. Don't answer a question with a question." He sighed before making his way back to his seat opposite me.

"That's exactly what you did."

Silence surrounded us again but this time it wasn't because we didn't know what to say to each other. Silence surrounded us because neither of us wanted to argue with the other; I didn't want to argue with him because I wanted him to stay with me and I loved him but for him it was because he had no other place to go besides back to his brother and Elena, who were probably in Damon's bedroom relieving the tension they I had created for the last few years. Now Elena was with Damon there was no chance she would be back for Stefan but that didn't mean Stefan would come rushing back to me. The solution was clear but I still didn't want to do it. I couldn't do it. The only answer was for me to be me; the real me with no hidden agenda or anything of the sort. I had to be the girl that Stefan fell in love with back in 1864 but that girl wouldn't be strong enough to pull herself back together if Stefan rejected her.

"What are you thinking about Katherine?" Stefan asked me, his eyebrows raised again like if he thought I was planning something and he was getting to scold me like a naughty child.

Now would be the time for me either to be the girl from 1864, the girl from Bulgaria who gave her child up because it was seen as forbidden to have a child outside of marriage all them centuries ago or I could be the girl I had become, the monster who had killed and betrayed to get what she wanted. Only one of them options would get me Stefan again and I had to take the first option because really there was no other choice other than Stefan. Love was about taking risks and trusting Stefan was the biggest risk I was ever going to make but still I had to do it.

"The truth?" I whispered so only he could hear me, no trespasser would ever see my weak side. Never.

"Yes."

"Us."

I swallowed the words tightly and almost choked them out because I was anxious to how Stefan would react to that one word. If he was that disgusted by it he may even leave and walk out the door so I could never make him open up to his true feelings for me. His feelings for me were still there and that was one thing I knew for sure, no matter how many times I questioned it deep down I knew. Stefan had returned to Mystic Falls to fall in love with all over again, he kept a picture of me for over a century and he could never quite bring himself to kill me.

"What about us?" Stefan asked his voice and body remaining neutral, not giving away any of his thoughts about the matter.

"Us in 1864, the people we were back then and the people we are now." I told him, my voice filled with nothing but regret something that I hadn't planned but it was something that I actually did feel towards them days. Why couldn't me and Stefan be like that now?

Stefan smiled softly before standing up again but this time he made his way over to the Kitchen cabinets. He opened the doors and they slammed back with a loud bang which made Stefan wince slightly. I chuckled to myself but he didn't seem to hear as he pulled out two wine glasses, placing both of them on the counter.

"Do you have wine somewhere?" He asked, a unusual glint in his eye which only made me wonder if Elena had brought this side out in him.

"Next cabinet." I muttered pointing him to the right place.

Stefan nodded before moving to open the other kitchen cabinet. I could almost see his eyes widen when he seen how many bottles of alcohol was actually stored in there but it couldn't be more than what Damon kept because Damon was seriously on his way to becoming a raging alcoholic. Stefan picked up the nearest and possibly the only bottle of wine in there and placed it next to the wine glasses. He poured the soft red wine into each glass slowly like he was considering whether us drinking alcohol was a good idea. Personally, I thought it was because it would loosen the pair of us up a bit and we could talk more openly.

"So what is your fondest memory of 1864?" Stefan asked sounding moderately curious as he placed my wine glass in front of me.

I muttered a thank you whilst Stefan moved his chair closer to me so the setting was a little less formal. He finally managed to put the chair in a comfortable position and sipped some of his wine, a look of approval on his face. Stefan gestured with his hand for me to answer his question but I didn't have a answer yet. How could I when there was so many fond memories of our time together in Mystic Falls? No one memory stood out, they were all too wonderful for me to choose from.

"There's a lot." I pursed my lips and took my first sip of wine for the evening.

Apparently my answer wasn't good enough Stefan because he shook his head repeatedly, a childish smile on his Italian features. He waved his forefinger in front of his face suggesting again that he would not take that as my answer. He picked up his wineglass and brought it slowly to his lips before taking a sip and placing the glass back onto the table. Stefan smacked his lips together before returning his gaze back to me.

"Come on Katherine there must be one that sticks out to you."

I took a deep breathe. He was right there was a memory that stood out more than the others, one that would be forever printed on my brain. The memory included him so how could I tell him without ruining the night? For the first time in my life I didn't know what Stefan was thinking or how he would react to what I said. _Be the girl you was back in 1864 for him _a voice whispered in my head, I sighed heavily. The voice was right there would be no more holding back otherwise we would be stuck in this endless circle.

"The founders ball. You told me I was an Angel." I told him.

When he said nothing I glanced up at him and found his dark eyes searching mine for honesty and truth, something that usually lacked in my eyes but this time honesty and truth would be the only things that he would find. Stefan licked his lips slowly before leaning back in his chair, folding his arms neatly behind his head. The chair creaked under the weight but he remained in the relaxed position just staring at me. A smile was still on his lips and I breathed a sigh of relief, he wasn't mad and he wasn't going to leave me.

"I enjoyed that night." Stefan's voice was barely a whisper.

Judging by Stefan's eyes widening, I could tell that he hadn't meant to say the words out loud. He hadn't meant to confess something to me but the words had just slipped out of his mouth and I was really glad that they had. Stefan gave me a sheepish smile before leaning forward and drinking the rest of his wine, his eyes closed shut at the taste. He pinched the bridge of his nose before opening his eyes and staring back at me; his eyes fall of defeat and something else that I just couldn't put my finger on. His hand slowly slid over the pine of the coffee table and hesitantly grasped mine. My mouth hung open and my heart was beating heavy in chest, sparks flew within us and around the room. Oh I've missed the feel of Stefan's hand on mine, I've missed the feel of _him. _

"Maybe one day we'll have a night like that again. Maybe one day in the future we will be together like we did once in the past."

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><p><strong>Okay this chapter was meant to be a little confusing because Katherine was meant to be figuring things out but after this she will be more willling to take the chances and everything with Stefan. Many people have told me that I'm rushing things with Stefan and Katherine but this all plays into the story. They loved each other once and they're learning to trust each other again but later on something happens...Please review xox. <strong>


	6. To The Future

**Here's the next chapter to this story. I do apologise for the lack of updates and you all must be getting tired of waiting but please stick with me. This chapter is short but it shows how things are changing, how Katherine is coping with her humanity and so on. It's the calm before everything suddenly becomes a worldwind. Enjoy. **

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><p>The sun came pouring in through the window and for once I welcomed it. The warmth, the light, the eternal of glow felt welcoming and I embraced everything it had to offer me just because I had the one special thing next to me, someone that I had always dreamed of waking up next to me ever since 1864; Stefan Salvatore. Turning over slowly, I propped my head on my hand and gazed down at the precious man sleeping next to me, the only man that would forever bring back my humanity and the key quite literally to my heart and soul. Stefan's arms were under the pillow that his head was currently rested on as he face towards me, a faint smile on his lips which made me wonder what he was dreaming about. The blankets hung loose but unfortunately for me, Stefan had come to bed with a shirt on last night so I couldn't see his perfect sculptured body that lay beneath his shirt.<p>

"Katherine...stop it." Stefan whispered so faintly that I wondered whether or not it I actually heard it come from his lips.

The word 'Sorry' was on the tip of my tongue and was just about to roll free when I stopped myself. Apologizing was something I had never done much in my human life and I had done it even less in my vampire life so why should I change? My teeth captured my lower lip and chewed on it impulsively due to some part of me that thought I was changing into somebody I had never been.

"Katherine...you're still staring." Stefan said as he turned to face me, a boyish smirk on his face. He laughed absentmindedly before sitting up in the bed causing me to mirror his actions. Stefan raised his eyebrows questioning my obvious discomfort that had suddenly risen within me. Just as his lips moved to say for what could only be 'are you okay?', I breathed and remembered to enjoy the moment that I was now having with Stefan and hopefully to enjoy the many more memories that were to come. Placing a smirk on my face, I very slowly and deliberatley climbed over Stefan's body and made my way out of the bed. Stefan simply rolled his eyes and mumbled something like 'people never change' but somehow it wasn't with the old resentment that it used to have, no this time it held more humour and unbothered tone to it. Did that mean he was okay with this me? _No, it just means he's more accepting now and that's only because you've been playing human_ my own voice mocked me inside my head.

"I'm going to have breakfast." I smirked gazing over at Stefan who slowly rose from the bed, giving me a look of disappointment. "Don't worry, it's a blood bag." I told him feeling slightly scolded as I didn't want him to be disappointed in me, well not anymore.

"Okay." Stefan said with a proud parent sort of smirk that just made want to rebel and feed off someone.

"The only reason I'm not feeding off someone is because I'm trying to keep a low profile, Stefan. I actually want to stay in this town believe it or not." I whispered, not really having control over the words that seemed to flow through my mouth.

"Why do you want to stay? You always run." Stefan asked staring into my eyes that would always force me to open up and bear my feelings to him.

"It's not the town itself...it's the person that lives here." My voice was barely audible.

A part of me wanted to tell Stefan that I was giving up fighting my humanity, that I loved him and that everything I was doing right now was for him. I wanted to tell him that everytime I looked at him I no longer felt like the monster that I had spent my entire life being, he made me feel human. Somehow despite it all when he looked into my eyes with hope and faith I felt more exposed than I have ever had been in my life. He wanted me to better and I wanted to please him but how could I tell him all that without making him want to run? Because if he ran away fromme this time I didn't think I could survive it especially since I've let my guard down and was now exposing my heart for him to see.

Stefan looked at me with a slight smile on his face whilst he came to sit on the edge of the bed, his hands gripping the edge of the mattress. His brown eyes flickered towards me before looking back towards the floor almost as if he was reading a book. I could practically see the wheels turn around his head due to his over consuming thoughts. The lines in his forehead creased and he chewed on the inside of his lip out of nerves... maybe.

"You've always liked to run, Katherine." He swallowed before looking up at me with a smirk. "Especially, in the rain if I remember correctly."

"That's only because you always chased me." I told him mirroring the same smirk.

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><p><em>"Come on, Stefan!" I giggled whilst he failed to try to keep up with me but somehow I didn't mind. <em>

_I wasn't using the speed that I could have been using to put me at a higher advantage but I was using the use of my heightened sight and hearing to jump over the twigs and not to step into any of the marsh land. Stefan however was too busy concentrating on me to realise that he was stepping into the marsh and covering his boots in dirt and mud that would no doubt cause his Father to ask questions later. If his Father knew about tonight that would also mean that Damon would know about tonight, about me and Stefan running through the woods looking for nothing in particular but right now in the moment with Stefan I just couldn't bring myself to care. _

_Stefan's chuckle echoed through his woods causing me to turn around to see him on his hands and knees facing down into the mud. I couldn't even bring myself to hide the laughter that erupted through me, he looked just like a little boy who was learning to walk for the first time. Giggling loudly, I picked up the hem of my skirt and walked towards him, the mud squelching under my feet. Before I could reach him Stefan rose from the ground and wiped the dirt onto his trousers. _

_"You always like the chase?" He smirked with his boyish smile. _

"_Only if__ you are the one to catch me." I curtsied before him, a sheepish grin on my face. _

_Stefan smiled softly and cupped my cheek with his hand, his thumb stroking my cheek. His brown eyes gazed into mine with a familiar twinkle in his eyes that I knew was mirrored in my own. My heart was hammering in my chest just begging for his lips to touch mine and my body yearned for his touch. I had never felt such an intense longing for someone to touch me in my life. It was too surreal. _

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><p>I grabbed a jacket from the corner of the living room where a pile of clothes sat gathering dust no longer having the same use to me as before. The clothes had once belonged to Elena gathering dust as she tended not to wear much clothing when she was alone at the Boarding House with Stefan. So on one of my first nights in Mystic Falls I had sneaked into the Salvatore Boarding House and gathered any clothing of Elena's that I could find knowing that this way it would be that much easier to fool everyone into thinking I was her.<p>

Stefan was now on the couch with a bottle of beer in his hands which he probably wouldn't drink if he knew I had compelled one of the men back at the Grill to give me two crates of alcohol. He was too righteous because of Elena and I wished my daring but sweet Stefan would return to me, the one who called me an angel, who loved me endlessly and who would do anything just to be with me. He was somewhere inside this Stefan and I would bring back just like I was doing with my humanity.

"How was breakfast?" He asked not taking his eyes off the television in front of him.

"Delicious." I smirked walking over to him, my hands sliding into the pockets of my jacket and my tongue sliding over my fangs emphasizing how good the blood bag has tasted.

Stefan shook his head but I could see a trace of a grin on his lips before he could choke out a laugh he picked up his bottle of beer and took a small sip. He glanced over at me, his brown eyes searching mine and he nodded briefly, slowly but it was more than a nod of recognition. It was something else, something more. It was an understanding forming between us. An understanding where we could afford to break some of the boundaries that were separating us and that we were friends right now, we shared an understanding.

"So what's on TV?" I asked jumping on to the couch, my legs spread of his lap.

"Boring cliché movies." His eyes remained fixed on the TV until he felt my legs on his lap. Hesitating he looked down towards my legs before raising his arms and at first I thought he was going to push my feet away from him but he did something I never expected him to do. His hands went to my feet and started massaging them softly whilst his eyes drifted up my bare legs to where my navy shorts began. "I see you managed to find something to wear other than your vest top and underwear."

"It's like I told you Stefan, I don't have company and when I do we're both usually naked." I wiggled my eyebrows playfully but he just raised his in return, silently warning me not to push too far. "Just a friendly suggestion, Stefan."

"Nothing is just a friendly suggestion with you, Katherine." He chuckled.

"Just give me a beer and shut up."

"Yes, Miss Katherine."

Stefan picked up a bottle of beer from one of the crates by the TV and handed it to me with playful grin on his face and I couldn't help but return it. His hands went back to my feet massaging soft circles into the pads on my foot. His touch was heavenly, so gentle and strong. It was perfect. Sighing from contentment, I placed the glass bottle to my lips and took a sip but Stefan stopped me.

"What?"

"A toast." He clicked our bottles together. "To the future."

I raised my glass in the air and took a brief sip.

"To _our_ future."

Stefan smiled softly at me and clicked our bottles together for the second time.

"To our future."

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><p><strong>I hoped you enjoyed the chapter and this little flash back. The drama and angst is starting soon! Please review, be kind :) Twitter is FlyingFireworks remember. Thank you so much for reading! Love Midnightgirl 467 xXx<strong>


	7. Opening Up

**Hey guys! I'm finally back with an update. I'm so sorry that you've had to wait so long for the update but in between studying for my exams in May, looking after my baby brother, seeing family and whatever, I've been writing all the next chapters to my fanfiction stories so I could post them altogether. Thanks for reading! I promise to try and update more. **

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><p>The following morning I woke to an empty bed, the memory of me and Stefan saying goodnight to each other and going to our separates bed almost felt like a curse. He had only spent one night with me and here I was pining for him already. Somehow in my sleep last night I had managed to stay on the one side of the bed as if he was sleeping next to me but he was in the room next door sleeping and pining over Elena, not caring that I was led in here missing him more than anything. He didn't want to care about me but he did. I had to believe that otherwise everything in this life seemed pointless. If he didn't love me I should just leave Mystic Falls forever because nothing else matters other than him. Stefan Salvatore was the only reason that I had come back to Mystic Falls where the love of my life had been destroyed because I faked my own death for my self-preservation.<p>

I could hear the faint sounds of footsteps downstairs in the kitchen and the smell of coffee and pancakes drifting up the stairs and through the cracks into my room. I could hear his faint humming from under his breath and I just knew he was dancing to himself whilst cooking breakfast. My hand went over my mouth and I couldn't help but laugh, he was so adorable and so goofy, he was just Stefan. The humming grew louder and I wondered if he could hear me laughing but when he turned on the radio at full volume I knew he knew I was awake. Still laughing, I rushed downstairs wearing shorts and a top, I grabbed the nearest jacket I could find on the banister and shrugged it on. I skidded into the kitchen to see Stefan dancing whilst flipping the pancakes.

"How often do I have to tell you? You should stop singing." I laughed. "Why are you like this? You don't usually like to embarrass yourself like this?"

Stefan turned around to face me and handed me a cup of coffee and a plate of strawberries to go along with my pancakes when they were cooked. He smiled at me and his eyes swept over my body like he was inspecting every inch of me. Under his stare my eyes dropped to the coffee in my cup and my curls fell from my shoulders to the front of my face blocking me from his intense gaze.

"Because it makes you laugh which makes me laugh. You haven't laughed like this since 1864...and that's my jacket you're wearing." He said before going back to attending the pancakes.

"Oh, I thought it was… " I shrugged taking my arm out of the jacket, my heart hammering in my chest so loud that I knew Stefan would be able to hear. I didn't want to give him any more power over me and here I was blushing like a pathetic human school girl who had a crush on her teacher. My head was screaming at me telling me to get away from the man who would only end up hurting me again whilst my heart screamed 'take a chance' and once again, I sided with my heart rather than my head.

Stefan flipped the pancakes onto the plates and carried them over to the table with a smile on his face. For the second time he rose from the table and went back to the counter coming back with another plate of strawberries and a bottle of whipped cream. Stefan rested them in the center of the table as he finally seated and took a sip of his orange juice, his eyes never leaving mine.

"The jacket actually suits you." He whispered. "It looks good on you."

His eyes drifted back down to the plate almost in embarrassed by his words but the words made everything inside me stop. It was like everything else was only moving in slow motion and all that mattered was the words that left his mouth. The only thing that mattered was that one special moment of him giving me nothing other than a simple compliment but it was something that I will hold on to forever. I smiled softly and breathed in the scent of the jacket as I put it back on before eating my breakfast.

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><p>It was early afternoon and Stefan had gone out hunting in the woods once again as he constantly refused to drink from the blood supply I had back at the house. Within five minutes of Stefan's departure I found myself driving to the Salvatore Boarding House seeking advice and encouragement from Elena, the last person I would never have asked anything but somehow she was the only person who actually saw something between me and Stefan. Elena was the only person other than Stefan I could talk to because Damon would only tease me and never give me the advice I needed. He still hated me for breaking his heart and lying to him for so long but I had done it to protect myself, Klaus couldn't know I was alive.<p>

I opened the door without knocking listening to the house and all I could hear was the steady beating of a human heart coming from upstairs among the fumbling of draws and opening of wardrobes. Elena was muttering something under her breath continuously as she continued to rummage around from what I could tell was Damon's bedroom. I wondered if he would care that his precious Elena was snooping through his draws but the evasion of privacy wouldn't bother Damon purely because it was innocent Elena. If it had been me snooping around his room there I would probably have the entire Golden Team on my case and wondering what my ulterior motive was. Of course sweet Elena would be given the benefit of the doubt.

I flashed upstairs just wanting to get the conversation over and done with. I couldn't believe that I wanted to have this conversation with Elena Gilbert. Within a few seconds I was stood outside Damon's bedroom door, I peered through the gap as nerves tingled throughout my body. If I did this it would be so human of me, only petty humans sought advice on how to go about their feelings. This wasn't me but if I didn't do it I knew that I would end up running from Stefan and I just couldn't bring myself to that. I couldn't lose him not now that I could finally have the chance to be with him.

"Elena?" I asked opening through the door and stepping into the room.

Elena jumped up from one of the drawers and almost banged her head on an open drawer. She turned around with almost embarrassed smile on her face. Her hair was tied up and she was wearing shorts, a shirt with a grey jacket. Elena tucked the lose strands of her hair behind her ears nervously as she cheeks turned pink. Her smile widened as she gestured with her hand for me to come in.

"Katherine? Hi." She looked utterly bewildered by arrival and something inside me told me that this was a bad idea.

"What are you doing?" I asked her hoping it would give me some time to make up an excuse to why I had come here.

"Damon has this present for me and I'm trying to find it so I can get him something that fits equally. Of course Caroline thinks I should buy some naughty underwear and just seduce him whilst Bonnie thinks I should plan some romantic dinner but I have no idea what the present is and I don't want to go overboard and end up pushing him away you know?" Elena continued to ramble about her perfect love life and it seemed like a knife to my heart that she had this with the man she loved and I didn't.

"Elena, you're rambling." I nodded to her hoping she would be quiet but I didn't smile.

"I know." She gazed at the floor smiling foolishly before her eyes returned to me. "Why are you here? I'm guessing it is Stefan related?"

I nodded briefly.

"Let's go get some coffee and you can tell me about it." She smiled and encouraged me to come downstairs.

Elena practically bounced down all of the stairs, her hand gliding down the banister with perfect grace. Once she reached the bottom she gazed back at me making sure I was following before doing a little twirl and making her way into the kitchen. I followed her trying to put my mind at ease as to what I was about to say because saying you loved someone out loud to the one person who had once had the love of the person you had always been in love with was twisted and just messed up all on its own. But saying you loved someone even though people probably had clues that you did when you had tried to shut off the humanity for so long was something that was terrifying. How could I say to the girl that would probably want me dead, that I needed her help with Stefan and show her my weakness just so she could use it against me? On the other hand I had no one left to trust. I had no one other than Stefan.

Elena had her back to me and was pouring two cups of coffee into two black cups and if it had been just a few weeks ago I would have used this opportunity to snap her neck. I would have killed her without thinking twice about but now that I was looking at her I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Something inside my body just told me that killing Elena was something that not only I would regret but also on some weird level that I would miss her. How did that happen? My humanity was coming back much more forcefully than I ever could have imagined.

My eyes never strayed from the doppelganger in front of me as she placed the two black coffee mugs on the wooden table that smelt of fresh cleaning products. Her hands curled around the cups, gripping them tightly as though her life depended on it and her hands shaking ever so slightly. What was wrong with her? Why was she snooping around Damon's room? Had she been lying to me? Why did I even care?

"Uh…Are you okay?" I asked unable to stop myself from uttering the word. "Why are you shaking?" I asked again taking a step towards before I stopped dead in my tracks surprised how worried I sounded about her well- being.

Elena raised her eyebrows and sat on the around the kitchen table, her leg casually folding over the other. Her finger that resembled my own traced the edge of her cup and her shoulders shrugged like nothing mattered. Her finger that resembled my own traced the edge of her cup and her shoulders dropped down as her eyes continued to stare into the cup. Elena slowly raised her eyes and chewed the inside of her lips before lifting up her cup and taking the sip of coffee with perfect grace and ease of young woman not a teenage girl that had suffered so much.

"I'm fine. I'm just nervous about what Damon's got for me because I have something that I want to share with him too." Annoyingly she shrugged again but I pulled up a chair and pushed my coffee towards me, curious about her relationship with Damon that was obviously about to come to a life changing event.

"What is it?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Katherine. I'm not ready to discuss it openly yet. I want Damon's opinion and then I will call you, okay?" She whispered softly. "I'll call you."

The old me would have forced the question out of her by either torturing her and make her feel excruciating pain just so I could have the knowledge that would eventually be used against her so I could play her and the rest of the people she cared about like they were pawns in my own enjoyable game but the me who was sat there in front of Elena wanted to know so she could help, so she could stop shaking and just breathe for a little while because Elena was my family. She was my family, the last of the Petrova line and for the first time ever it actually meant something to me.

"Why did you come here?" She asked taking another sip of coffee, a small smile on her lips as her confidence seemed to come back inside her.

"I need help with Stefan. The last few days we've been getting closer and closer like nothing ever happened in 1864…like nothing bad happened. He's been laughing with me, dancing with me and cooking me breakfast. I've been so close to telling him that I still love him and that I've changed for him, Elena. I've changed for him! I turned on my humanity and I fought it every second of every damn day and now that I switched it back on I can't go back. I'm the human girl that died the day her parents took her baby girl away before I even had a chance to hold her. I love him but I'm scared that if I tell him he won't say it back and I can't hurt anymore. I can't switch it off."

Elena looked completely and utterly bewildered at my speech and immediately I regretted what I had just said. Would she use it against me? Was all this a plan to finally kill me? Was all of it a big plan to kill me? What if it was all just a ploy? There had always been a nagging voice inside that Stefan had trusted me too easily but I had been too wrapped up in my humanity to care. What if all had of it had been a lie? I could feel my heart plummeting in my chest and breaking with every second as I thought of the time me and Stefan had shared together recently.

"Katherine? Are you okay?" Elena asked leaning over the table to take her hand in mine comfortingly.

"Are you going to kill me?" It was supposed to be a threat and a statement but instead it sounded like a pitiful question and sounded more like a whimper.

"What? No." Elena shook her head. "I'm not trying to kill you." She spoke each word slowly and repeated the sentence a few times until my body had restored to normality and I was no longer a pitiful mess.

"I can't bear the thought of Stefan and I being a lie but I'm scared. Ever since I turned on my humanity I'm so scared of it being a lie. I'm paranoid all the time." My eyes looked past Elena and I wasn't entirely sure whether I was talking to her or just talking to nothing in particular.

"You let back your humanity for the first time in centuries. I would be surprised if you didn't feel scared about Stefan loving you back and that you were completely comfortable with yourself. You've hidden from your emotions for so long, Katherine it's no surprise they are coming back so raw and fresh that its even more powerful than an average vampire would feel. The only way for all that to stop is to tell Stefan what you just told me. Tell him that you love him and that you're willing to try. Just tell him, Katherine."

Elena looked at me with pleading brown doe eyes that were the exact same as my own and patted my hand encouragingly from across the table. She rose from the table just as I heard the front door slam followed my shrieking voices that sounded like Caroline and Bonnie. Elena grabbed the two cups of coffee and put them in the sink muttering about washing them later. I stood up from the table as Caroline and Bonnie entered the kitchen both of their smiles disappearing when they saw me. Bonnie stared mouth open wide and gave a judgmental look to Elena whilst Caroline folded her arms and swayed her hips to the one side.

"Seriously Elena?" Caroline shouted. "Why is she here?"

"She came to talk." Elena said looking at her friends as though talking to me was no big deal at all.

"She what?" Bonnie shrieked.

"I should be leaving. Thank you, Elena." I nodded towards her slowly before handing her my cup of coffee. She took the cup in her hands and muttered 'I'm sorry' before dropping the cup into the soapy waters of the kitchen sink.

Caroline and Bonnie stepped out of my way as I walked past them with my head held high, the usual sway in my hips as usual. As I walked closer towards the door I could hear Caroline shriek 'seriously' at Elena before going into a lecture on why she shouldn't be alone with me. I could not be trusted because of my lack of humanity but I was different now. Just being in the company of Stefan made me willing to fight for him and turn the switch back on to my humanity. He made me feel again, he made me the Katerina Petrova that I had once been and now it was time to tell him how much I loved him.

It was time to finally tell him.

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><p><strong>So next chapter is a big moment for Steferine. Katherine's ready to confess her feelings but is Stefan ready to hear it? Does he even feel the same? I shall leave you with that, haha. I hope you enjoyed the chapter even though it was quite short. It would have been too long if I had added her talk with Stefan in as well. Thank you so much for reading! Please review and thank you!<strong>

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	8. Always You

**Hey, I'm back with an update. I had so many problems writing this chapter. I don't know why but it was really hard to write. Anyway, we left off with Katherine ready to tell Stefan and well, here it is. I really hope you like it. Thank you so much for sticking with this story you guys mean the world to me. Thank you. **

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><p>"Stefan?" I called into the house that once just been a place to sleep, a roof over my head whilst I watched the Salvatores and the Doppelgänger but now it was more than a place to sleep. It was a home. A home. I laughed at my own words. I had never had a home since Bulgaria where I had lost everything, where I had been banished from my old life and forced to live in England to where my on-going run from Klaus would begin. I had never been attached to a building since that time where I held my little girl in my arms, I had never felt safe anywhere else expect now. Maybe it was because Stefan was here with me or maybe it was due to the house bringing me closer to Stefan. I didn't know but what I did know that this place was finally a home. I had a home.<p>

My hands were in the pockets of my leather jacket, clutching the material tight in my fingers as the thought of confessing my love to Stefan began to terrify me rather than feel like an exhilarating revelation like had been only a few moments ago. The curls of my hair were winding down the front of my chest and seemed to be frozen in place just like everything seemed to be inside me. I couldn't move but my feet seemed willing to go find Stefan. How was I supposed to tell him that I loved him? How was I supposed to tell Stefan that I was madly in love with him and that I had changed? How was I supposed to convince him to be with me?

"In here." Stefan replied, his voice coming from the living room where he was probably reading or writing in his beloved journal just like in 1864.

My feet continued to take the steps towards him without me fully registering what was happening. I had never been this nervous. I was Katherine Pierce. Why should I be nervous? I would tell him how I felt about him and if he didn't want to be with me then he didn't want to be with me it was as simple as that. _But could you really face him denying you…again? _ A voice said from my head that sounded very much like Elena's causing a small snarl to emit from my lips but it was right. Could I really face another rejection from him? Would I be able to walk away this time now that my humanity was more turned on than ever before? The answer was; no. No, I wouldn't be able to walk away and the reason that this whole thing was so terrifying was because I couldn't deal with his rejection this time, I wouldn't be able to cope with it.

Soon my eyes became in contact with Stefan who was intently reading some novel that I couldn't care less about. His head was bent over the book as it rested on the arm of the chair, his finger on his chin and just grazing over his lips. Stefan help up a finger indicating that he would only be one moment and that he would be with me. His brown eyes started to scan the text faster and faster until the point where I was sure he wasn't really reading the text but nevertheless once he reached the end of the page, he folded it to mark the page and closed the book, and now his eyes were focused on me.

"Hey." He smiled, his brown eyes sparkling as he rose from the couch. "Where've you been? I came back from hunting and you were gone."

It was time to tell the truth.

"I went to the Boarding House." I nodded. "Your house."

"Why?" He said his eyebrows rising in a confused expression, his lips slightly puckered.

"To see..." I swallowed. "Elena. I went to see Elena."

Stefan shook his head more confused than ever before and who could blame him? I was the last person on the planet to ever think that one day I would go to Elena asking her advice about Stefan. The old me would never have done that, would have never have stooped that low for advice and would kill Elena the first chance she would get alone with her rather than seek her advice. The old me only hoped that Stefan would join her and be with her again but right now I had more than hope. I believed from his behaviour that it could actually happen because everything from the last few days suggested we could be great again. I smiled to myself. It was right.

"Why?" Stefan asked in complete disbelief. "Why would you go to her?"

"Because…" I trailed off, taking my hands out of my pockets and taking a further step towards him. "Because I wanted to ask her something, ask her advice about something. I know, that is strange but she was the only one I could ask. I have no one in this town other than you and I couldn't go directly to you about it. I needed advice about you so going to you about it would be ridiculous." Realising I was going off topic, I bit my lip in protest before continuing to speak. "I needed advice so I went to Elena and she told me that I should tell you what I told her."

"And what did you tell her?" Stefan asked, taking another step closer to me so there was only a small gap between us.

"I-I told her that I'm scared." There that was simple enough. I could do this. I just had to do it in small and simple steps.

"Scared of what?" Stefan whispered softly, leaning towards my face so that his lips were only a few inches away from mine. I could feel everything inside of me get warm and fuzzy inside like a teenage girl with her first love. Trying to be inconspicuous I gazed up at him from beneath my eyelashes but his lips caught my attention, they were so close to mine and closer than they had been in a long time.

"Scared of losing this and it being a lie." I whispered, my gaze now retreating to the floor. I took a large breath before continuing to speak. After all, it was now or never. "Whatever this is, anyway. I don't want us getting closer because I'm your substitute for Elena."

"You're not a substitute." Stefan whispered, tilting my head with his hand whilst his thumb caressed my chin sending warmth through me.

_You're not a substitute. _I am not a substitute. He wasn't replacing Elena with me. He actually wanted to spend time with me and he wanted to be with me. I wasn't his substitute. To most that may not seem like anything big because they weren't afraid that they were a substitute to an ex-girlfriend or whatever but to me? Now that was a completely different story. Knowing that I was not the replacement for Elena was like a revelation, a new beginning, a new chapter in mine and Stefan's story. The words alone allowed me to move on and take the step, made me willing to confess my love for me because Stefan wanted to be around me. He wanted me. He actually wanted to spend time with me with all the silly baggage that came with me. He wanted to spend time with me.

_Doesn't mean he's in love with you. _The petty Elena voice said again in my head, only reminding me that I still had to confess my love for him and that could determine whether I would break or whether or not we would finally be together. Stefan's reaction to what I said next mattered the most in this entire conversation and if he said he wasn't ready or he didn't love me then I had no idea how I was going to deal with any of it but one thing was for sure; I would break. I couldn't have come this far with my humanity just to have it all ruined now, could I?

"Ever since you came here because of the whole Damon and Elena thing we've come closer and I have changed." I swallowed, trying to think of what to say next and getting slightly clouded by how close Stefan was to me. "We've spent so much time together and it's made me realise a lot of things, all of them about you. You have made me feel like the human girl that I thought I lost when they took away my baby and I became a vampire but somehow you brought the emotions back and I will owe you for that, forever." Stefan chuckled quietly to himself, his eyes still thoroughly focused on me. At his chuckle I actually felt a blush creep into my cheeks. Could vampires even blush? I shook my head. _Stay focused, Kat. _

"But that isn't what I need to say to you." I breathed out quickly, starting to panic for what felt like the millionth time during this conversation. "What I need to say to you is that I love you. I love you, Stefan. I love you and I don't want to be a replacement for Elena. I want what we had back in 1864 where you loved me, where you fought to be with me and where you were proud to be mine. Remember when you called me angel? I want you to look at me like that again. I need you to look at me like that again, like you have been doing whenever you let your emotions control you the last few days. I want to be with you because there is no one else." I let out a sigh of relief as I concluded my speech. There I had said it, I had finally told him and from here on out everything was now up to Stefan and I could only hope that he wanted to be with me too.

I glanced back up at Stefan expecting to see confused brown eyes and pursed lips as he tried to scramble his thoughts together but instead he was smiling, his brown eye's sparkling with relief and love as he gazed down at me. A small smile tugged on my lips as I looked up at him unable to contain myself. Ever so slowly he closed the space between us so our bodies were almost touching, his brown eyes staring intently into mine as though they held a thousand secrets and I could feel my heart hammering against my chest like a human's would. My eyes followed the lines of Stefan's lips wondering what it would be like to finally taste them again after all these years. Stefan hesitantly raised his arm and gently hooked it around my waist his hand resting on the small of my back. My body burned with his touch, aching and craving for more and my eyes closed welcoming back the touch that I had lost all those years ago. Everything inside me was screaming that I was finally getting what I wanted but still I waited for him to reject me, waited for him to push me away and tell me that I was not capable of loving, and for that he could not love me.

"Katherine." Stefan whispered exasperated, his lips barely an inch from my own now and all I wanted to do was close the distance between us and finally kiss but I wouldn't do it yet. I had to wait for him to say I love you. "I have realised a few things too. I realised that you are the kind-hearted that girl that I believed to be an angel back in 1864 but you've had to hide that, you had to protect yourself and you had no reason to feel because-"

"I never loved anybody else, that's why." I finished for him, my eyes retreating back to the floor in embarrassment.

Stefan smiled slightly before continuing.

"I was stupid not to realise that before now. Also, I was stupid not to realise the feelings I had for you because you are not her replacement don't you get that? She's your replacement." Stefan paused, his eyes searching mine for a brief period. "It's always been you. Katherine, it's only ever been you."

Before I could comprehend what he had actually said or even process the words he had chosen his lips came crashing against mine. The hand on the small of my back pressed me closer to him aggressively as his other arm wound around my waist in attempt to get me closer to him. Our lips were clashing against each other, fighting for dominance, fighting to show how much we missed each other and who loved the other more in this moment. All that could be heard was our unnecessary heavy breathing and the sound of lips together. My arms wrapped around his neck, my fingertips brushing against his hair as I pulled his lips closer to mine. Neither of us wanting to pull away from each other because now we finally had each other, we finally had each other the way it had intended to be.

"I've missed you so much." I managed to say in-between kisses. "So, so much."

"I missed you too."

Stefan pulled away allowing us both to catch our breath and restore it's normal pace. We managed to untangle our limbs from each other until eventually we were stood hand in hand just staring each other and smiling. Stefan shook his head and smiled pulling me close to him once again, placing a small kiss on my forehead. How could any of this be real? How could the man I loved actually love me back after all this time?

"I can't believe this." I whispered my musings out loud. "Don't wake me up."  
>"It's real. I am right here." Stefan laughed, caressing my face.<p>

"We're actually together."

"Forever." Stefan whispered, smiling gently before kissing me once more.

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><p><strong>So what did you think? I hoped you liked it. Please review. Thank you so much for reading! More Steferine cuteness coming up...like a first date? <strong>

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**Love you all so much, thank you!**

**- Lauren xXx**


	9. Only Fools Rush In

**Okay so please don't hurt me for the lack of updates. College is slowly taking over my life and I have had so much to do but I'm on break and plan to write as much as I can during this time. I love you guys so much! This chapter is a bit of SK fluff before, well, I'm not telling you, haha. It's short but I hope you like it anyway. **

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><p>The radio was playing in the background with some soft love song that I had known before this moment but one that I would now treasure for ever. Stefan held me in his arms, our hands joined together by our chest whilst my head leaned against where his heart rested. Stefan's head rested upon mine and every now and then he would tell me that he loved me, he wanted to be with me and that he missed me. I smiled softly against his chest unable to believe that I was stood here with Stefan as danced together to a love song on the radio. Stefan leaned closer to me, his fingers tilting my head to meet his eyes and he smiled at me and started humming to the song.<p>

_**I could stay awake just to hear you breathing**_

_**Watch you smile while you are sleeping**_

_**Well you're far away dreaming**_

_**I could spend my life in this sweet surrender**_

_**And just stay here lost in this moment forever**_

_**Well, every moment spent with you**_

_**Is a moment I treasure**_

"I love this song." Stefan whispered, his lips now kissing the top of my head.

"I thought you didn't dance." I told him, a small smirk on my face as I remembered him dancing in the kitchen whenever he was making meals the last week.

"Hmm…very funny." Stefan laughed before looking at me with his intense yet passionate stare. "I don't wanna close my eyes. I don't wanna fall asleep 'cause I miss ya babe and I don't wanna miss a thing." He was singing the lyrics to me. He was singing to me. Stefan Salvatore was actually serenading me.

Shaking my head in disbelief I buried my face against his chest, bathing in his scent and how close we were right now. My curls tangled around my face masking my emotion from the man that I had spent forever trying to get back in my arms. Stefan wrapped his arm tight and protectively around me causing my face to be squashed against his firm chest but I didn't care. I didn't want to push him away from me. I just wanted to be closer to him. His chin resting on the tip of my head as he continued to whisper the heart filled lyrics of the song that would always hold so much more meaning to me now. Ever so slowly and gentle, his fingertips brushed my hair running his hand through it whilst he swayed us to the music, dancing more closely than he would have done in 1864 as it would have seemed improper to be this close to a man that you were not betrothed to.

"I've missed so much about you." Stefan whispered, his he slowly turned us in time to the music. "I've missed everything about what you did after Mystic Falls."

"I know." I whispered back so quietly that the music was now louder than I. Our brown eyes met in an understanding of some kind, a small smile on both of our faces because we were happy with each other, happy to be together but sad to have spent so much time apart

"We'll have to work on this." He whispered, pressing his lips against my forehead. "It won't be easy."

"No, it won't be."

I glanced at the floor nervously, my lip captured between my teeth. Stefan's hand felt hot on my back, his touch burning through my clothes, it was completely addictive. My chest was pressed against his chest, our bodies practically one as we danced together to the song. My heart was hammering against my chest and I wondered if Stefan could hear it but I could not here his. Slowly I glanced up at the man I loved, the one I had waited for, and his eyes met mine.

"I don't care how long it takes, Kat." Stefan nodded, his lips so close to mine. "We're going to make it."

I smiled, looking up at him and at how close our lips were. How could any of this be real? How could I be stood here looking up Stefan, the man I loved, and not be pushed away? My heart was pounding against my ribcage, furiously beating as it realised how perfect this moment was to us. Surreal and perfect were the only two words to describe the scene around me right now.

"I would have waited forever for you." I whispered.

"I wouldn't have let you wait that long." He smiled, his lips brushing against mine now as our voices could hardly be heard over the music. "I kept you waiting long enough."  
>"It's okay," I smiled against his lips and my hands now clinging desperately to his hair. Stefan wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me up in his arms, our lips crashing and fighting against each other whilst our hands were all over each other, exploring the places we had yearned to touch for so long. I looked up into his eyes and no longer found love and gentleness but love and lust amongst desperation and desire. His lips moved to my neck his teeth scraping down my neck.<p>

"I really didn't mind." I whispered breathlessly, only aware of the sensation of Stefan's lips on my neck.

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><p>Hours later and we were led in bed, staring up at the ceiling with my hair sprawled all over the pillows and our bodies nothing but tangled limbs on the sheets. Our panting could probably be heard through the entire town but we didn't care. We couldn't stop touching either both of us addicting to the fire that took over us whenever we would touch each other. I smiled up at the ceiling and realised that I had never been this happy, genuinely happy, like this for as long as I could remember.<p>

"You know," I laughed "We probably should have started with a date."

"Hmm…" Stefan smiled, turning his body to look at me, one hand flat on my stomach whilst the other played with a strand of my hair. "I will take you out on a date, I promise but we aren't like normal couples are we? It's not like we've done everything in the right order."

"You're right." I smiled, closing my eyes and surrendering to his touch.

There was a moment of silence between us as we both edged closer to each other. My hand crawled through the blankets and held his hand tight in my hands, my eyes glancing from our hands to meet with his familiar brown eyes that held so many burdens and secrets. I smiled back at him, a real smile and not just the smile you give because you feel like you should because it's either the right or polite thing to do. No, a real smile where your nose scrunches a little and your eyes brighten because you're genuinely happy. I smiled a real smile at Stefan only to have the same smile mirrored back at me, our happiness exploding around the room.

"I've waited so long for this." I whispered, my thumb drawing patterns on the back of his hand. "So, so long."

"Me too." Stefan whispered.

My eyes met in his and suddenly the room seemed to disappear. It was terribly cliché but also terribly true because right no win this moment all I was aware of was Stefan's burning stare and his hand letting go of mine to slide up my arm leaving goose bumps in his wake. My eyes dropped to the white cotton of the pillows as I tried to escape his stare but even if I couldn't see it, I could still feel it. I could feel my skin burning from the inside, my heart begin to beat louder and my breathing to quicken. Oh, god I forgot how much this man affected everything about me.

"Katherine?" Stefan breathed his hand now on my neck.

"Yeah," I replied barely aware that I was speaking.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

And once again, our lips were crashing together in a passionate tumble. Our hands were everywhere all at once, crawling at the sheets to tear them away from each other's bodies. All that could be heard was our moans and the shifting of the bed as we moved upon it.

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><p>"What happened to the date first?" I asked Stefan, my hand playing with his as I looked down upon our hands wondering how this could have happened. I had everything in this moment that I had been missing since for over a century.<p>

"It's not my fault if I can't keep my hands off you." Stefan chuckled, kissing my cheek softly. "I just – I don't know. I guess I've just missed you, I've missed all of this."

I smiled leaning back into the pillows, my hair in a curled mess around my head and Stefan's head on my shoulder. Every now and then his lips would softly caresses my shoulder and I could feel the smile on his lips against my skin which caused everything inside me to burn with the love that I shared for him. It just seemed right being here with him right now in this moment and I don't think there was an adjective to describe how truly beautiful and perfect it was laying here with the love of my life.

"I missed you too." I smiled, turning to plant a soft kiss on his lips.

"Hmm," Stefan smiled against my lips. "How about I get dressed and we can go downstairs and watch TV for a couple of hours?"

"I would like that a lot." I nodded, the smile still perfectly drawn on my face as though I was one of the pathetic criminals from one of those superhero comic books.

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><p>An hour later after we had managed to pull ourselves out of bed, Stefan and I were wrapped around each other watching something completely boring on TV but that didn't seem to bother us. His arms were wrapped around my body and my bare legs were entangled with his, his jeans softly touching my skin. I rested my head on his chest and the scent of him all around me. My fingers playing with the hem of his shirt on my body absentmindedly as I watched him from the corner of my eye.<p>

"Katherine, you're staring again." He said with a knowing smirk, his eyes never leaving the TV in front of us.

"Sorry but I was just wondering when you were going to be the proper gentleman I know you are and take me out before anything more can happen between us." I smirked, almost laughing as he seemed to mirror my smile. I just loved teasing him about the most pointless things.

"I believe that we have done everything that could be considered improper." He raised his eyebrows, the mischievous glint in his eye. "But, I will keep to my word and take you out on a date. How does tomorrow sound to you?"

"Sounds perfect." I smiled.

"Great, I'll go back home and even pick you up like it's our actual first date." He grinned. "I'll pick you up at 8 and no, I'm not telling you were we are going."

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><p><strong>So the song was Areosmith - Don't Wanna Miss A Thing for those who don't know. I just wanted to convey in this chapter what they were feeling and how they have rushed in without really thinking. I hope you liked it &amp; we got SK in the last few episodes! Yay! Please review!<strong>

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**Lauren :) **


	10. These Emotions

_Hey guys! I'm finally back with an update but I have a treat for you all it's two chapters in one night! Woooo! Haha, I know I'm awful with the updates so I decided to work on one story at the time so I can finish them quicker and so you don't have to wait so long for each chapter because it's not fair on you guys. _

_Another thing I want to say quickly is that I changed what I originally wanted with this story which unfortunately means it's this chapter, another chapter and then the epilogue. I just feel it's the best that I could with this story and I wanted to take it in this direction. I just hope you love it! (Please don't hate me!) _

_Just want to say a massive thank you to all of you, you are incredibly epic and I love you for taking the time out to read this story!_

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><p>It was 8:00pm and I had already changed my outfit three times, changed my hair another four times and my make-up twice. My stomach was twisting and turning like I was a teenager about to go through with her first time and my hands couldn't keep still by my side. Truthfully, I was being ridiculous about the entire thing because wasn't as if Stefan hadn't seen me before or dated me before. It wasn't as though we hadn't kissed, hadn't had sex or hadn't talked about our feelings because we had done all those things.<p>

Sighing, I gaze at myself in the mirror playing with the hem of my black and white peplum dress, the material went out my waist and the skirt was tight against my legs, highlighting my curves. I was wearing black pumps with only little heels not wanting to overdress. I decided to go with sophisticated but sexy look after an extremely long conversation with Elena on the phone who had managed to briefly calm me whilst I planned my outfit. After she had hung up the phone the nerves in me were like explosives and I had never felt like this before in my life, not even in 1864.

There was a soft knock at the door and I immediately froze on the spot. What was I supposed to do? How does a girl answer the door to what was considered a first date? I breathed in and out, doing one last look in the mirror and bringing my hair forward so it cascaded down my chest. I nodded a little in confirmation that my appearance was fine but what was I actually going to do when I saw Stefan?

"You can do this." I muttered to myself as I picked up my black trench coat from the coat rack and wrapped it around my waist.

I opened the door and seeing Stefan standing there in front of me with his dark shirt and black jeans with his biker boots just made everything inside me burn with desire. His eyes were shining and he had the most heart breaking yet dazzling smile on his face. The street lights were casting a glow on his face that just made him seem like an angel that had come down to save me. I smiled back at him when I noticed how his gaze had averted to my legs and then back up to my body in an almost discreet way.

"You look absolutely incredible." Stefan said smiling, holding out his arm for me.

"Thanks." I almost blushed, taking his arm and walking out of the house. "You look pretty good yourself."

"Just pretty good?" Stefan asked, raising his eyebrows as he opened the car door for me and I laughed at his puzzled expression. Everything about this moment just felt right, felt normal.

"You look hot and handsome, all in one." I smirked, crossing my legs as the leather of the seats brushed against them softly. "Is that better?"  
>"Much better." He grinned, slamming his car door shut and placing one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the edge of my seat, clearly testing the boundaries of tonight.<p>

Smiling, I didn't do anything wanting to keep him on edge tonight just for the fun of it plus I just wanted a normal first date with him. I didn't want it to turn to every other night I had gone out with by sleeping with them at the first chance I got and thus making them fall further in love with me. I didn't want Stefan to just be any other guy. I wanted Stefan to be Stefan, the guy that I had spent over a century loving to the best that I could and the one I had always checked up on. I wanted Stefan to be the one because there was no other choice for me.

The trees and ever knowing houses of Mystic Falls were nothing but blurs as we drove past them with the radio humming in the background. It was like one of the movie scenes where the girl is staring through the window and smiling because she knows that the love of her life is sat right next to her and if everything did fade away around them, it would be okay because they would have each other. It's what I felt like right now with Stefan next to me because the only thing that mattered to me was him.

"You seem quiet." He smiled, glancing over at me with those gorgeous green eyes.

"Just excited about the date." I shrugged, looking over at him and smiling back at him.

"Okay, I was thinking on taking you to the Grill for a few drinks and then take you to dinner." He grinned, his eyes lighting up with that delight that he always seemed to have. "Then I was thinking I could, now this is a huge long shot because you know how much I hate it…I was thinking of taking you dancing, maybe."

"Maybe?" I asked him with a confused expression. "Probably not."

We both laughed and as usual everything inside me seemed to stop whenever we did something together like other couples. My heart roared with contentment in my chest and I smiled, leaning closer to him. It wasn't as though we didn't know each other already and would it really be wrong if I kissed him? Sure, it wouldn't be sticking to my plan of slowing things down between us but at this particular moment in time I just didn't seem to care about anything else other than kissing him. Stefan leaned towards me, his hand still on the steering wheel, and our lips met in a passionate kiss. My hands were in his hair and his hands were on my back and I could feel the car slowing down to a stop but I didn't care. I wanted him.

"Elena…" Stefan moaned against my lips.

Did he just say Elena? No, he wouldn't say her name. Why would he say her name? He was in love with me not her. It was me. He chose me. I pulled away from him as my heart shattered to pieces in my chest, everything inside me feeling numb. I swallowed in my throat as I sat back in the chair as far as I could be away from him in this confined space. I didn't want to be his version of Elena. I didn't want to be second best. I wanted him to love me.

"You said Elena." I said it as a matter of fact as though it wasn't that big of a deal. "You said her name, Stefan. Why?"

"Katherine, it's not what you think." His eyes were wide as though he had just been caught out. "Katherine…"

"Stop it." I told him, taking a deep breath. "Stop saying my name when we really know you want to say hers. You want to be with her but you can't can you? Because she doesn't love you, Stefan. She could never love you the way I do but that doesn't matter because I am not Elena. I am not the girl that you think I am. I am not her."

I closed my eyes and turned away from him, my fingers searching desperately for the door handle. I needed to get out of this car. I needed to get away from him. I had to leave. I needed to leave. I needed to leave this stupid forsaken town and forget everything in it. The door opened with a click and I swung it open, my legs stumbling out of the car. I just needed to get away from him. How could he do this to me? After everything I had done for him. After I had opened up to him.

"Katherine!" Stefan screamed but I continued walking down the road, ignoring the constant yells that came from his mouth. The dress I was wearing no longer clung to my skin in a way that made me feel beautiful or sexy it clung to me desperately and it made me feel dirty, unwanted and cheap. I swallowed, my heels clapping against the road as cars drove past me without another glance. My eyes remained distance and ahead because all I wanted to do was to get changed and leave this pathetic town behind.

"Katherine. It's not what you think." Stefan said, stopping in front of me. His hands in the air and his eyes filled with guilt.

"Not what I think?" I laughed through my tears. "So I didn't hear you say her name when I kissed you? Funny, because it sounded like you did. I don't understand but I don't want to hear another lie come out of your mouth because I can't take it anymore, Stefan. I get it. I will never be Elena for you and you will always be in love with her. You will find a girl who looks like her and love her because you can't move on from a girl that is clearly no longer in love with you."

I shook my head. How could be so pathetic over a girl that didn't care about him anymore. Why was he so wrapped up in Elena? Why was everyone wrapped up in precious Elena Gilbert? What was so special about her? What was it about her that made everyone fall to their knees to worship her? And, why couldn't people do that for me too?

"I gave up everything for you." I turned back to Stefan who was just staring at me with his eyes wide as though I had lost my mind. "I gave up everything. I stayed in this stupid little town that you call home to be close to you. I almost got caught by Klaus a million times because I came to check on you and see how you were living your life. I turned on my humanity, Stefan. I flipped the switch so I could feel again, so I could really feel but you completely ruined it. You ruined me. I did everything for you."

Stefan opened his mouth but I just shook my head, the blood in my body flowing with anger and betrayal. How could anyone do this to someone? I stared at his green eyes and I could feel everything inside me shake with hatred for the man that continuously broke my heart. There were so many thoughts pouring into my head all at once and his eyes are still on me. His mouth is shut. The pain was ripping through my heart, picking and pulling at the remaining pieces, and my skin felt like it was being torn and twisted. I wasn't going to feel like this anymore. I was going to feel anymore.

"Stefan, I promised you I would wait forever." I told him, my eyes turning slowly turning back into the cold lifeless brown eyes that they had always been known to be. "I will wait forever but I won't feel like this forever. I won't keep humanity on in hope that you might turn up one day when you probably won't. I am leaving this town behind. I am leaving you behind and most importantly, I am leaving my humanity behind. I am not feeling like this anymore. I am done."

As my last word was spoken, the pain was gone and as I glanced up at the man that I had loved I felt nothing. I felt nothing at all. A small grin fell on my face as Stefan's eyes stared at me as though I was complete monster, that I had been the one to betray him. I winked at him playfully before walking close to him, my hand on his chest as I stood up to whisper softly in his ear.

"I hope you didn't book a table." I chuckled, and with those words I was gone.

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><p>I pulled up outside the Salvatore Boarding House with my bags in the back of the car, the music was playing as loud as it would go. I slammed the car shut and got out of the car with the music still playing. I had one little last goodbye before I left this pathetic little town that behaved as though it was still in the past. I smiled as I walked up to old familiar door and gave a small knock, time for my best performance yet.<p>

"Katherine?" Elena questioned as she opened the door.

"Hi, Elena." I gave a soft smile. "Mind if I come in?"

"Sure." She opened the door. "I thought you were out with Stefan?"

I walked down the corridor before I answered her. My eyes fixed on the old vase that lived in the centre of the mahogany table. I couldn't give anything away. I had to pretend that I still cared, that somehow I enjoyed the friendship that quickly blossomed between Elena and I. I faked a sob before turning around with my head in my hands.

"We had a fight." I choked. "So I left. We didn't even get to our date."

I dropped my hands to my side and right on cue, Elena walked towards me with her arms open before stopping as she realised that it was me. She gave me a reassuring smile that sickened me to my stomach, her brown eyes shimmering with probable fake concern. I sighed, shaking my head softly as though I was distraught at the idea of Stefan and I fighting.

"What did you fight about?" She asked. "I'm sure, you can figure it out."

The distraught expression left my face as I walked up to Elena slowly, my eyes never leaving hers. All this had been her fault and it was time for her to pay. It was time I got rid of her once and for all. Her eyebrows furrowed with confusion as she took a step back from me. She was terrified of me. I could hear her heart racing her chest as her blood coursed through her body. I placed a hand on my hip and tilted my head.

"We fought about you, sweet Elena." I told her as I grasped my hand around her neck and pushed her up against the wall so she was unable to move from my hold. I curled my fingers tighter around her throat applying just the right amount of pressure. "You see, in Stefan's eyes no one is ever going to be you but he did tell me he loved me so you can picture my confusion when we were kissing and he said your name."

"Katherine." Elena managed to choke out so I squeezed tighter, the burning need inside me forcing me, wanting me to kill her. It was nothing to me. I felt like nothing. Her pulse was thumping against her skin like an annoying pulsating drum. She was the reason I had turned everything on for nothing. She was the reason that my humanity was a mess and why I was acting like I had just taken something. She had done this.

"Katherine, let her go." Damon's voice was stern and firm behind me just like it always was whenever sweet Elena's life was in danger. A small chuckle escaped my lips at thought. She really did have the Salvatore brothers spiralling. It was always going to be Elena.

"Do you honestly think you can stop me?" I asked him, my eyes never leaving Elena's. "She doesn't love you, Damon. When it comes to Elena, it will always be Stefan and vice versa. It's almost as though some pathetic witch planned it all. Damon, you and I, are just the barriers that they eventually get over to be together. Stefan and Elena."

Elena's olive skin, identical to my own, was turning a ghostly pale now, her eyes rolling as she slowly lost the fight to keep breathing. Her heart had drummed to a soft and slow beat. Precious Elena was finally succumbing to me. Elena Gilbert was finally losing to me. I grinned at the sight, tilting my head a little to get better look at the sight I had longed for.

"Katherine, let her go." He whispered from the open door. I didn't turn to face him. I couldn't allow myself to do what I wanted to do. I wanted to see his face as he watched me destroy his love, the love that he chose me to replace. I remained frozen, staring aimlessly at the girl in front of me. She had helped me yet here I was with my hand around her neck. I closed my eyes, _fight it, Katherine._ _She did this. She will always be first choice. _

"You don't want to hurt her, Katherine. Even with no emotion you don't want to hurt her. You would have done it already."

I heard Damon moving, he was as fast as light when it came to protecting the woman he loved but I remained staring at Elena. I didn't move just stared. I felt hands on my neck. His name leaving my lips as the darkness crushed me, forcing me to the ground.

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><p><em>Okay if you thought Katherine's emotions were a little muddled here they are supposed to be. I think that because she hasn't turned her humanity on for so long that when she does feel it sort of controlling and overwhelming. She's feeling so much at one time like a new vampire would. I don't know why but that's how I imagined the process to be.<em>

_I hoped you liked this chapter! The next one will be posted in a few minutes! Please review, it means a lot! _

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_Love you all so much, thanks for reading!  
>-Lauren xXx<em>


	11. I Promise You

_Here's the other chapter! YAY! So after this chapter, I am working on the epilogue. I am sorry that I cut this story so short but the epilogue should be quite long. I really hope you enjoyed this story and especially this chapter. I loved writing this chapter for some reason, haha. Anyway, enjoy part two of your double update :) _

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><p>There was a pain in my neck, a sharp pain and there were something scraping against the soft skin of my wrists. The smell of dust and damp was thick in the air as it flew around the room, forcing me to breath in the smell that could only belong to a place full of history and secrets. I rolled my head, a soft groan leaving my lips as I tried to dull the pain in my head by moving my hand but I couldn't move it. I pulled against the chains that were holding me against the wall and I could hear the soft chime of one of the bolts hitting the floor. There was only one place I would be in chains; the Salvatore Basement.<p>

"You're awake." I could hear his voice, a soft sound that caused my eyes to open.

I didn't say anything. Memories of yesterday flashing back in my head, kissing Stefan, him saying Elena's name, me flipping the switch and me trying to kill Elena. I swallowed slightly. Stefan would kill me for this and out of instinct, I pulled harder on the chains and another bolt fell to the floor. I tugged again but nothing. This was taking far too much time than it normally would. Glancing up, I raised my eyebrows at Stefan who stood with arms folded across his chest and his leg propped up against the door as though he was watching an amusing show.

"There's vervain on the chains." He said simply, not giving anything away in his tone of voice. "I know you drink it but there's still a lot on there and it's going to take a while for you to get out of it. So, I was thinking that you and I could have the discussion that you wouldn't let me have yesterday."

"When will you get the hint, Stef," I rolled my eyes at him, tugging again on the chins. I didn't want to be around him because if I was for too long I was afraid that my humanity would find a way back in. I couldn't allow that to happen. "I don't want to talk."

"Sure you do." Stefan smiled softly, his green eyes shimmering with dissatisfaction. "I didn't say her name because I was thinking of her. Katherine, I haven't thought about Elena – you didn't kill her by the way- ever since you walked back into my life."

I turned my head. I didn't want to hear his declaration of love or his confession to what had being happening between us the last few days. My eyes stared at the bricks in the wall, staring at the lines and how they all seemed to go their separate ways but find each other again. I tugged again, I could feel it loosen a bit but still no bolt had fallen to the floor. I sighed, looks like I was going to have to hear it whether I wanted to or not.

"She had text me." Stefan stared at me and slowly walked into the little cell that had chained me up. "The notification simply flashed on my phone and I happened to notice when I opened my eyes for a split second so I said her name as in I need to answer Elena."

No. No. I would have noticed if his phone had flashed with a text message. He was just trying to play me for a bigger fool, trying to use the love I have for him against me. I thrashed against the chains but it was no use. It was clear that I was never going to break free from the hold of these chains, I could possibly be stuck in this prison for as long as the Salvatores wanted. The thought of being held against my own will enraged me, my heart pounding against my chest, my fists clenching, my fangs ready to shred any skin they could find.

"I don't believe you. So what is that you actually want? Why am I still alive?" I snarled, my lip curling at the sight of the man who I could never have but who would always be the reason I became an emotional wreck. "Why haven't you just rammed the stake in my heart yet?"

Stefan sighed, shaking his head as he walked around the dingy blood stained cell. His fingers grasped the back of the wooden chair that looked like it had belonged from the very era in which Stefan and I had met for the very first time. Ever so slowly, he picked up the chair and set it down in front of me before making himself comfortable and sitting on the chair. His green eyes as beautiful as nature itself shimmering with sadness as he gazed upon me, wondering what I was thinking and how we could possibly come back from this.

"Katherine, you and I, it's not going to work right now. You are insecure and can't handle your humanity because you switched it off for so long. I bet even right now you can't decide whether you hate me or whether you love me. The emotions, the magnitude of what you are feeling is so raw and fresh so much so that you can't control them. Your jealousy almost destroyed any chance we ever had and almost cost Elena her life. Elena is my friend and she even helped you the last few days, something she didn't have to do. She could have slammed the door shut in your face but she let you in. And, I'm not saying this because I'm still in love with her. I'm saying it because it's the truth. I'm saying this because I love you and I want to help you. I want you to be able to feel. I don't want to change you, I don't but I want you to be able to feel when I'm around you." He took a deep breath, his eyes pouring into mine, the green holding with them a small but kind twinkle. "What happened to the girl I met in 1864? She had her humanity, she didn't get jealous. She knew how to feel. Sure, she had her flaws but we all do. What happened to her?"

"She lost you." And, the words were out of my mouth before I could try and stop them. I stared at them, swallowing in my throat whilst my hands clutched at the chains that bound me to the house, that bound me to the man in front of me.

"She changed as soon as she left this town." My eyes fell to the floor, the flashes of emotions and memories all mingling into one. "When I left you, I knew that it would probably be centuries before I saw you again. I couldn't allow you to know that I had survived just in case Klaus found me and for a while, I knew you hated me. I saw what happened to you as a vampire, I saw the blood lust and what was happening to you. I felt like I had destroyed you. So, that's what happened to that girl, Stefan. She lost her humanity because she couldn't stand the idea of being without you. I ruined you."

Stefan sighed quietly, a soft expression of exasperation, and I could hear his footsteps press against the cold floor. I glanced up and noticed that he had placed the chair back in the corner of the room so it could collect dust for another few weeks before another vampire in Mystic Falls fell of the metaphorical wagon. He was on his knees in front of me, his face inches away from mine and I could feel my heart and my breath quicken. He would always have this effect on me whether my humanity was on or off or whether it was like an internal bomb just waiting to explode inside me like it was now. Stefan Salvatore would always have this effect on me.

"Did you ever think that losing you ruined me?" Stefan titled his head to the side, his hand caressing my cheek. "I lost you, Katherine and that amount of grief that I had for you destroyed me. It was my choice, not yours. I allowed the grief of losing you to turn me into something I am not because it was easier. I chose the easier way! I chose to become the ripper! I chose this! I chose to become a vampire because I knew I could switch off my humanity and the thought of death terrified me. I chose this, Katherine. You didn't ruin me. I ruined myself."

There was a moment of silence of where we just stared at each other and everything went quiet. His hand burning on my cheek but I know that if he removed the palm of his hand from my skin I would immediately miss the sensation, it was comforting burning. I could feel my heart break at his words; we had both made so many mistakes with each other and it hadn't always been like that, in 1864 we had been happy. We had each other and that was all that had mattered for a very brief time. I could feel the tears falling down my face and I tried to close my eyes, I tried to stop them but I couldn't. It was like the end to a tragic story. We weren't right together.

"Stefan…" I whispered. "You and I, it's not going to work is it? We've both have destroyed so many parts of each other and lost so many parts of what we used to be."

"Ssh," Stefan's voice was a like soft caress against my skin, immediately comforting me. "We will get past this, Katherine. Don't tell me you waited over a century to be with me again and you're going to give up on me at the very last hurdle?"

A small laugh left my throat and I opened my eyes to look at him, the pain of the chains slowly disappearing as the pain of not being with Stefan became the more unbearable pain, I was so close to him in this moment but we were still so far apart. He also broke out into a smile, a small smile but a smile nevertheless.

"I did promise you that I would wait forever, didn't I?" I smiled at him, my hand automatically reaching out for him but I was unable to move as the chains were still tightly wrapped around my wrists, holding me back from Stefan.

Stefan glanced at the side of me, his hands dropping for a fraction of a second and I already missed the contact of his skin. He rummaged in his jeans pocket before unlocking both of the cuffs around my wrists causing the chains to make a shattering noise against the cold surface. I knew that I could leave now if I wanted to. I could run away and leave him behind, leave the emotions behind that had the most control over me if I wanted to. Or I could stay, talk to the man I had fought to be with for the last century and half, always watching and making sure no harm came as way, and talk like adults and make a good decision with him. I had two options and despite the hatred I felt in my heart for his betrayal, still unsure on whether to believe his story or not, I chose the second one. Love, a rare time for me, seemed to conquer the hatred I felt in my heart.

"You did promise to wait for me." He smiled, holding my hands and bringing me to my feet. "Katherine, I don't want you to wait forever because I don't think I can be away from you for that long. I want to be with you forever. I don't want you to be waiting for me for that amount of time. I love you and I promise you, that I will wait for you too. I will wait for both of us to put this past behind us and start fresh. I will wait until we don't have to rush into everything. I will wait until we can take little steps and we can both control our emotions better when it comes to each other. I will wait for you."

"And, I will wait for you." I promised, taking his face in my hands and getting lost in the green of his eyes, losing myself in everything that was him. "I love you." I hesitantly leaned forward, unsure of whether I was allowed to do what I wanted to do most in the world.

"I love you too." Stefan whispered, wrapping his arms around my waist in one quick fluid motion and bringing his lips to mine. The kiss was soft, short and it was truly a goodbye kiss.

Closing my eyes, I pulled away and refused to open my eyes until I was turned around facing the door because I wouldn't be able to make this decision if he was looking at me. I would never be able to leave him behind and do what was best for the both of us. I was taking the biggest risk of my life, putting all my faith into the idea of Stefan coming back to me and I ignored every other negative that told me I was making the biggest mistake in my life. I had to have faith.

"Make me another promise?" I asked him. "Promise me, that you won't keep waiting too long. Come back to me as fast as you can, okay?"

I opened my eyes and I felt his fingers intertwine with my own as I took a deep breath and relaxed for a little. All I could do was focus on him, how my skin felt like it was on fire just because he was touching me. All I could do was pray that one day I would be able to feel like this again, I would be able to have him touching me again. I stared through the open door, took a deep breath and took the smallest step forward. Everything inside me was telling me to turn around but Stefan had been right we wouldn't work with my emotions being all haywire and with him going back on human blood, we had to become better people if we wanted the relationship to work. I let go of his hand, leaving Stefan behind and everything that we had shared over the last few days behind and walked through the door with tears streaming down my face. As I turned the corner and up the stairs, Stefan's last words put a smile on my face.

"I promise. Nothing could keep me away from you for too long."

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><p><em>So what do you think? I wanted them to have this discussion about their relationship and it shows how far they've grown too due to Katherine' trusting him that he will come back to her. I feel like Stefan after everything that happened would tell them to have space from each other. I really hope you liked this chapter because it's my favourite in this story. Please review and let me know what you think!<em>

_Next is the epilogue! OMG!_

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_Love,_

_Lauren xXx_


	12. Epilogue - Home Is Where The Heart Is -

_So here's the epilogue, I hope you guys like it. If you really hate it then I'll rewrite it for you guys. It's short but I just think it was all that was needed for Stefan and Katherine. I hope you enjoy. _

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><p>Almost three years had passed since I had said goodbye to Stefan, since everything had been all messed up. It brought a small smile to my lips to think how far I had come, how much I was able to feel now and still be in full control of my emotions. I had done what had been asked for me in these few years and I had managed to go back home to Bulgaria and find out that my daughter, Nadia, had been taken in by a nice family and she had grown into a beautiful smart young women. The knowledge of this made me happy. I was glad she to know that she had been given the best opportunities in life even if they weren't from me. Everything had somehow fallen into place except one thing; there was still no sign of Stefan. I had no idea what Stefan had been doing with his time or who he had been spending time with, all I could have was hope that he stuck by his promise.<p>

After driving around endlessly with no hope inside me after I left Mystic Falls behind, I decided to trace my entire life all over again. I wanted to relive my life, travel the world and find out travel so I could think about everything in my life. Of course, I knew that eventually I would be heading back to Mystic Falls if I did that but it wouldn't be for a while. There was so many things and so many places that I been before I had arrived in Mystic Falls for the first time in 1864.

After 6 months I left Bulgaria comforted by the knowledge of my daughter and finally managed to control the odd emotion here and there. Then I left for England, spending another few months there before leaving for America once again. I started my journey by travelling through France and Germany before then catching my flight back to America. By the time I landed back in America, a year and half had almost passed and I had control over my emotions for the most part. It was only when they were incredibly intense did I struggle with them.

Now here I was a year and a half later with perfect control over my emotions and I hadn't killed anyone since I had come back home. It felt good. I felt good. I had just arrived in a small town just outside of Atlanta and was unpacking what little luggage I had carried on my journey. It wasn't out of choice that I had so little belongings it was just when I was running from Klaus it wasn't practical. I expected to move from place to place at a moment's notice if it required me to do so.

The room was small and simple but it was what I needed. The colour scheme was basic; cream and black with patterned curtains. As soon as you walked in there was one bed facing a TV that was polished, a remote resting by its side and a hair dryer stuck to the old mahogany dresser. There was a small oak door that didn't match the rest room that led to what I could only assume was the bathroom. My clothes were thrown on the bed next to my black travel bag.

"Okay, alcohol." I nodded before taking a deep breath and walking out of the room.

The sun was beating down on my skin as soon as I walked through the doors and I was thankful that I had left my jacket up in my room. My hand clutched at the railing as I walked down the steps to the bottom floor and hopefully to the nearest store. There were hardly any clouds in the air and the smell of freshly cut grass drifted in the air. Summer was on its way, the thought brought a smile to my face. Perhaps this would be the summer where Stefan would find me again. Maybe he would come back to me this time.

"Finally," a voice declared from the courtyard. "I was starting to think you didn't want to be found."  
>My heart froze. My hands held on tighter on to the railing in fear that I might fall down the rest of the steps and land in tangled heap in front of him.<p>

"I was expecting at least a smile when I found you," He said, a nervous grin on his face. "I understand if you didn't do what we agreed, if you don't want…"

"Stop." I shook my head. This wasn't real. It was too soon. "This…This can't be real."

"It is." He smiled wider, those beautiful green eyes that I spent so long missing were shimmering with happiness, with relief. "Katherine, I am right here. I am ready to be with you. It took me so long to try and find you."

"I have been travelling." I told him sharply but unintentionally. I just couldn't think straight, my mind was swirling with ideas, possibilities and wonder at how he could be here. "I retraced my life."

Stefan nodded appreciatively, the smile was still apparent on his face but his hands were fidgeting and twitching which was usually a sign of his bloodlust. I cocked my head to the side, my hand loosen on the railing slightly. Wouldn't he have control though? He wouldn't be here. Would he? His eyes were sparkling with adventure and contentment as he gazed up at me. Would he be looking up at me like that if he couldn't feel? If he was consumed by his craving for blood?

"Why?" He asked, titling his head as his feet took that one extra step closer to me.

"To help me figure out everything about my human life, to have a place to go to and to find out what really destroyed my emotions." I nodded. "I had to remember what it was like to feel again, to truly remember how to be human to have any chance of latching back to my humanity. It's hard when I've fought for so long and after all this time I still have my moments where I just want to switch it off and where I am still me. I still have tendencies to be slightly mean and every other flaw that I have but that's me, Stefan and I can't change who I am."

Stefan nodded thoughtfully, his eyes retreating to the tiled pebbled floor beneath his feet. His lips were twisted as though he was pondering a choice between two possibilities. I froze on the spot. This would possibly be the moment that defined us and everything that our future could be, whether it was together or not. I watched him carefully, studying his every movement. He was walking slowly towards me but ever so slowly that I don't think under any other circumstances I would have noticed. I chose the moment to blink but as soon as I did he had moved from the floor and was now in front of me, his green eyes staring back into mine.

"Good." He whispered, his hand reaching out to caress my cheek and my eyelids fluttered at the touch. I had missed the fire that had come with his touch, his love. "Because I don't want to change you, Katherine. I just wanted you to feel."

"Me too." I breathed against his lips, my eyes closed as my forehead pressed against his. My hand had moved from the railing and was now clutching his hand desperately not willing to let it go ever again. His fingers were slowly twitching under my hand and I gazed up at him, my brown eyes searching his. I raised my eyebrows at him before looking down at his hand unable to stop myself.

"I need help." Stefan muttered under his breath after a long sigh. "I can't do this on my own anymore, Katherine. I've gone as far as I can on my own. I haven't killed anyone but the temptation is still there and I know that I will have to fight the hunger everyday but it shouldn't be like this."

Everything inside me yearned to put my arms around him and cradle him, to protect him from the very thing that I had thrust upon him due to my love for him. I sighed, taking both of his twitching hands in my own now and looking up at him. He was staring down at our hands as though they were the very thing that was keeping him sane, as though they were the only comfort he needed. I gently squeezed his hand and moved a step closer to him until our hands were the only thing keeping as apart.

"Stefan, I will help you through this okay?" My voice was fierce, my blood pumping with concern and the urge to protect and help the man I loved. "I will help you through this every single step of the way. I am here. I love you and I'm always going to be here for you. Always."

"I love you so much." He breathed. "You're everything."

He breathed a sigh of relief, his entire body relaxing against mine and I smiled, leaning my forehead against his. I closed my eyes and just breathed him in, his scent wrapping around me and pulling me closer to him. He was intoxicating. I could feel his hand on my back, keeping him to him and I had never felt like this in so long. Stefan's arms, the warmth they brought me, were home. Stefan Salvatore was my home and I couldn't think of anywhere else I would rather be for the rest of eternity. Stefan Salvatore was here and with me. I had a home for the first time since I was human.

"What are you thinking about?" Stefan was smiling back at me, his eyes sparkling with content and love, emotions that mirrored my own.

"Home." I grinned at his confusion, placing my hand in his hair. "You are my home, Stefan. I never want to leave you again. Ever since I met you I wanted to be with you and this is our chance. I will help you with the rest because I don't want to wait any longer for you. I've waited long enough and right now I just want to be with you."

"No more waiting." Stefan leaned down towards me and our lips finally met in a breath taking kiss, our lips crashing together in passion and urgency. And, I pulled him closer to me because we had all the time in the world now. We had our forever in front of us and nothing made blissfully happier than the very thought of being with him forever. We didn't have to wait any more. We had our forever together instead. We had _our_ forever.

* * *

><p><em>What do you guys think? Please review. I really hoped you loved it. Thank you so much for taking the time out to read this story of mine and thank you all for sticking with me because you've made me smile with every favourite, alert and review that I get. You are all amazing! It means the world that you like these stories of mine. THANK YOU SO MUCHHH!<em>

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_- Lauren xox_


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